The Trial of Souls
by Yithril
Summary: Join Xianghua on her journey across the world to rid humanity of the evil Soul Edge. She will meet up with new and familiar characters in her own personal journey of discovery.
1. A young woman's journey

Disclaimer : Soul Calibur and it's characters are creations of Namco, and obviously not me, so don't sue me. I decided to stay true to the story as presented in the game, but also decided to add a few new characters and twists to keep the story as fresh and enjoyable as possible.

Please review this story after reading. I really value the viewpoints of my readers, be it positive or negative. I'm not the only one reading the stories I write, so it assists me greatly when readers can share their thoughts freely with me. It helps me improve as a writer and helps you by providing you with higher quality fan fiction to read.

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Foreboding ash gray clouds filled the sky overhead, casting a dark shadow across the land. Rain droplets began to slowly pour down. Panting heavily, a young blonde warrior lay crouched on his knees in the middle of a grassy field. Clad in plated azure armor, the warrior was a young man in his mid twenties with short cropped blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. The young man dug his hands into the soil, trembling at the sight of the crimson red stains on his armor and in the dirt. The rain mixed the blood with the dirt, returning the life force back into the earth from whence it came

"What…what have I done? Siegfried what have you done?" he thought.

Tears welled up in Siegfried's eyes, as he stood up on his knees and gazed at the gruesome sight unfolding before his eyes. He was surrounded by a field of unspeakable gore and butchery. The severed limbs, strewn internal organs, and mangled bodies of dozens of people lay upon the grass creating a panorama of madness and insanity unfolding before Siegfried's eyes. Small crimson rivers of blood flowing between the blades of grass screamed out to the young warrior. Siegfried gazed at his hands, his face contorted in fear and terror. His hands were drenched in blood, the crimson pools flowing in between his fingers and onto the ground below. In a panic, he tried to run as far away from the scene as he could. He came upon a river surrounded by lush vegetation and a few trees. Siegfried ran towards the river than knelt down to try and wash the blood from his hands and armor. Even though the blood washed away into the river, Siegfried could still see the haze of life force of the blood covering his hands. The sin would not wash away so easily. Shaking his head in disbelief, Siegfried let out a wail of anguish and torment that echoed throughout the land for countless miles. As he wept uncontrollably, his gaze caught site of a horrific image. Atop an adjacent hill, he saw a large and oddly shaped sword jutting from the ground.

It was the Soul Edge, the sword that twisted men's hearts towards evil.

Siegfried could hear a wailing in the back of his mind. The wailing grew stronger, until it became a piercing shriek he could not bear. He knew this sound all too well. It was the twisted sword Soul Edge calling out to him, attacking his mental defenses. The wails of the souls entrapped within the confines of the sword called out to the young warrior, urging him to continue doing the swords malevolent bidding. Siegfried had journeyed as far away as the harsh hinterlands of northern Norway, far away from even the smallest of human settlements. He tried to banish himself from humanity, to embrace his tragic fate as the cursed steward of the sword of infinite evil. However he could not fight the power of the sword. No matter how much willpower he mustered, Siegfried always eventually succumbed to the will of the sword, and transformed into the senseless killing machine known throughout Europe as Nightmare.

"I…I am the one that killed all of those innocents…I don't want to kill anyone else…" thought the weeping young man, grasping his head and writhing in agony.

Siegfried questioned his own sanity, as it seemed to slip from him. He could no longer count the people that fell before the sadistic Soul Edge, their souls entering the eternal abyss, cursed to exist in eternal flux within the confines of the hellish blade. Had he slain 20, 30, 40, 100, 1000 people? The faces of the innocents, the piercing wails, and the cries of people pleading for their lives, all haunted him during his sleep and during his waking hours. Siegfried's vision became blurred. He felt his body give way, as his consciousness slipped into darkness. His vision became filled with images of hellfire and souls dancing within its fiery embrace. He could no longer feel his own body, but instead felt a grave like chill encompassing him. Siegfried could feel a strange sensation coming over his skin, as if it were on fire. His eyes changed from sparkling blue to a demonic red. His body trembled, slowly succumbing to the hideous power of Soul Edge. The sword had control of him once more, as it had so many times before. The slaughter would begin anew.

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The full moon hung eerily in the pitch black night sky, casting a haunting gaze over the lakes, the forest, and the earth below. Xianghua woke suddenly in her bed, bolting upright. Her heartbeat was pounding, her lungs heaving for air. Xianghua had been sleeping soundly, until her slumber was invaded by a feeling of terror and foreboding that was so intense it interrupted her rest. Sweat beads dripping down the side of her face, Xianghua tried to collect herself. The shutters to her window were open, allowing a fresh breeze to overcome the stale air of her bedroom. Xianghua allowed herself some time to rest and breath.

"I've never felt a terror so intense, so real…What does this mean?" thought Xianghua as she got out of bed and moved to her window. Looking out at the infinite expanse of grassy plain unfolding before her vision, Xianghua breathed in the fresh air. She loved the scenery of the Indian subcontinent. The moon light made her fair skin almost haunting. Xianghua was a young and beautiful woman. Her profile revealed her shimmering black hair and mysterious black eyes. She sat down on a wooden chair situated next to a circular white oak table. Her lodgings were not luxurious, but were adequate for her needs. A modest bed with comfortable bedding, a dresser, table, and a personal washroom was all she needed for her journey. Opening the dresser drawer, Xianghua gazed at a strange shard of metal. The metal seemed nearly translucent under the influence of the light of the moon. She felt an indescribably evil emanating from the shard. The appearance of these strange shards is what started Xianghua her journey.

"I thought I had destroyed the sword, the so called 'Sword of Heroes'" said Xianghua gazing at the strange shard.

Her mind began to wander back into her past, evoking memories from years long ago. Xianghua and her two friends Maxi and Kilik journeyed to the far off lands of Europe and to the Ohstenburg castle. Using her mother's keepsake sword, Xianghua battled the dreaded demon Nightmare and the sword of darkness, Soul Edge. While Kilik and Maxi held off Nightmare's countless demonic minions, Xianghua was transported to a realm of energy and light. Within a blazing crimson ring of fire, she fought the essence of the Soul Edge, Inferno, using the sword of justice, the Soul Calibur. She was victorious, and managed to cast Soul Edge into an abyss. She thought she had ended the existence of the sword, ridding it from the mortal world. But ever since the appearance of these strange shards was reported throughout the Ming Empire, Xianghua took it upon herself to investigate.

"If these are pieces of the sword, then I must collect them all and destroy them. While I no longer have the Soul Calibur, I'm sure I can find a way to rid our world of the sword's evil influence," thought Xianghua, her eyes showing clear determination as she gazed out her window.

Xianghua stood up, took her long sword off of her dresser, put on her blue and white uniform, and walked outside. The city of Vajparuti was quiet in the evening, as all the merchants and tradesmen had gone home after business hours were done. The city was enclosed within a high wall, protecting it from invaders and raids. The buildings were made of earth toned brick or mud. She walked down a few alleys, and found an abandoned courtyard within the old section of the city. The courtyard was old and tucked in behind several old warehouses and stores. Wooden stalls lay broken in crumpled heaps, as well as signs and stones from the city walls. The buildings around the courtyard were quite tall, and cast shadows onto the ground below. The moonlight was concentrated in the center of the courtyard, making the cracked gray cobblestone glow. Xianghua positioned herself in the center of the moonlit spotlight, her eyes closed. She fluidly drew her sword from its scabbard and waved it before her. Opening her eyes, Xianghua began to dance with her sword.

As Xianghua practiced her sword moves in a fluid and graceful display of swordsmanship, she thought back to her days training in the royal palace. Her mother was a sword expert, teaching Xianghua her own special sword style. Xianghua spun the sword in her hand, allowing the sword to flip around once, and then expertly caught the hilt to deliver a thrust. The moonlight reflected off of the sword, causing the sword to glow. Her agility and reflexes were what earned her a place within the imperial guard of the Ming emperor. She kicked high into the air, her sword tucked behind her back. She then bent down and leaped forward, her legs spreading out like a fan as she made two hops. At the end of her second hop, she landed low to the ground, her feet spread evenly apart and her sword extended out.

Xianghua liked to practice her swordplay whenever she needed to clear her mind. Her quest to destroy the sword Soul Edge put a great burden and heavy responsibility on her shoulders. Not wanting to let her mother down as she watched Xianghua from the heavens, Xianghua was determined to rid the world of Soul Edge's evil influence.

The morning sun rose between the green hills of the city of Vajparuti, in northern India. The rays of light flowed across the land, dispelling the shadows of night. Xianghua was already up and ready to continue her journey. Leaving out of the inn she was staying in, she met the hustle and bustle of the city. The sound of horse hoofs clapping against the cobblestone road rang through the air. The haggling and arguing of merchants dressed in bright and lavish clothes mostly drowned out the sound of the chatter of the peasants walking the streets. Xianghua walked down the streets, looking at the stalls filled with all variety of exotic fruits and vegetables, as well as brightly colored crafts and textiles. She was wearing a form fitting blue and shirt with detached sleeves. Her pants were a darker blue with a rose flower pattern stitched along the hem down the length of the pants. Xianghua's shoes matched her pants, except the straps were fiery red. She carried a long sword within a scabbard fixed to her belt sash. She journeyed to the city square to meet her guide, as she did not know the surrounding geography nor the language of the area. Catching sight of her guide, Xianghua waved her hand and jogged briskly towards him. Her guide was a holy man from a local temple. His hair was jet black, his skin a dark brown, and he wore simple sackcloth like others in his order. Her guide simply smiled, waving to the young girl.

"Did you sleep well mistress?" said the guide, his voice jovial and refined. His Chinese was impeccable and unaccented.

"Oh I slept wonderfully Rajit. I wanted to make sure I had enough energy for today. We have a lot of ground to cover. Tell me, did you find out how I can get to Persia? I think from there I can find my way into Anatolia and then make it to Europe," said Xianghua, her voice very excited.

"My my, mistress you certainly want to cover a lot of ground! I have checked with several of my contacts. I can assure you a ship that will take you from here to Gujarati, and then from there you can take a ship to Persia. From there I cannot help you," said Rajit, smiling jovially.

"I'm sure once I get to Persia I can handle things myself," said Xianghua.

"But mistress, you've an awfully long way to travel, and yet you have no traveling partners. It is dangerous for a woman to be traveling the roads and seas all by herself," said Rajit, his face showing clear concern for the young woman.

"No need to worry, Rajit, I can take care of myself just fine," said Xianghua, smiling to hide her true feelings.

Xianghua knew that she could take no one along with her on her quest. Combating the sword of infinite evil was dangerous enough. She did not want anyone else to befall the same fate as Kilik or Maxi had so many years ago. Xianghua had not seen Kilik or Maxi since that fated battle in Ohstenburg castle, and she could only hope with all her strength that both of them were still alive. Her imagination took her back to the moment she was sucked into the cosmic vortex to battle inferno. She had tried to reach out to Kilik, who was lying unconscious on the ground, but she was slowly fazing out of the dimension. After battling Inferno, Xianghua was transported to an empty plain away from the castle, not knowing what fate had befallen her comrades in arms.

"Well we should be setting off mistress. I've prepared some horses for our trip south. We'll try to make the port city of Sajarat before nightfall. If we are quick we should make it," said Rajit, motioning to two sturdy horses strapped to a stall. Xianghua smiled and nodded, walking towards the horses. Expertly straddling the horse, Xianghua and Rajit went out of the city and onto the main road leading south. She gripped the stirrups of her steed and urged the horse on. Rajit and Xianghua sped along the trail atop their steeds, kicking dust into the air.

"I must get to Europe as fast as possible, if I can get to the source of the evil and destroy the sword once and for all I can ensure the safety of this world. I will not rest until every fragment of that sword is smashed to dust," thought Xianghua as she rode behind Rajit. With a heart filled with a mix of fear, trepidation, and bravery, Xianghua found a new resolve as she began her quest. Storm clouds were brewing over the city of Sajarat, creating a deep sense of foreboding within Xianghua.


	2. Shards of Corruption

Xianghua and her guide had arrived in the port city of Sajarat by nightfall. The sun had already sunk into the depths of the valley, forever lost in the crevices of the land. The stars twinkled within the sky, comfortably nestled within the blackness of the cosmos above. Xianghua looked upward, her gaze fixated towards the infinite expanse of darkness that covered the sky. Dismounting, Xianghua's guide found a place to bridle their horses. Sajarat was an impressive city. The exterior was guarded by a thick stone wall standing no less than fifteen feet high. The buildings were mostly made of mud, except for a few important buildings dealing with trade and government functions. The city of Sajarat was a trading hub for spices and goods between Persia and the Orient.  
  
"That wasn't a long journey mistress; the horses are pretty tired however. We'll let them rest for awhile. I thought we should stay at the temple this evening. The monks would happily offer a spare bed," said Rajit.  
  
"Thank you, Rajit. Is it that large building over there? With the huge statue in front?" said Xianghua pointing to a large temple at the far end of the city. The temple consisted of a single massive dome with four towers situated at the four corners. A large statue of a six armed elephant armed with swords was visible from where Xianghua and Rajit stood.  
  
"Yes mistress. That is the temple."  
  
"I will be along in a bit. I'd like to explore the city a bit before taking a rest Rajit."  
  
"As you will, mistress."  
  
Xianghua smiled congenially at Rajit and began to walk around the streets of the city by herself. Unlike Vajpurati, Sajarat seemed to be more vibrant and active during the night. Torches resting on iron stands lined the streets and homes, piercing the darkness and adding warmth to an otherwise cold night. Wrapping herself in a light blue shawl, Xianghua wandered the streets, as if in search of something. There were a few vendors out on the street; however the fruit market had been completely packed up for the night. There were many people about, some drunks returning home from the bars, some robed wanderers, and a few seedy looking individuals. Xianghua did not want to get caught in the wrong section of town as she did not know the lay of the land, but at the same time she wanted to find where the port was.  
  
"Maybe I'm just crazy for looking, but I have to..." thought Xianghua as she peered across corners and through alleyways.  
  
Grabbing onto a small glimmer of hope, Xianghua thought that maybe she could find Maxi. It was a one in a million chance, but if she was to find her friend, then she thought that port cities would be like a magnet for the intrepid pirate. Xianghua's mind wandered, as it often did, to her travels with Kilik and Maxi. As a person, Xianghua was always fascinated by Maxi's personality, his determination and loyalty to his men. Naturally, as a pirate he would be seen as a villain by many, but his adherence to his own standards of living inspired a sense of admiration within Xianghua. As she wandered the streets of Sajarat, her mind swept her away into the realm of her memory.  
  
_Crystal blue water flowed down gently upon smooth gray rocks near an embankment of lush foliage. The sunlight poured down from the sky, generously bathing the land in its life giving rays. The surface of the water was dazzling, capturing the essence of the sun and reflecting it, magnifying the warmth. A young black haired man sporting a white vest with gold trim sat on his knees in front of the stream. Cupping the life giving water in his hands, the young man rinsed off his face and drank.  
_  
_**"Maxi? Maxi where are you?"  
**_  
_Looking up, Maxi reached for his trusty nunchuks and whirled around, only to be greeted by the kind and sweet Xianghua. Holding her sword behind her back and tilting her head playfully, she grinned at Maxi._  
  
_**"You startled me again, don't do that so often. You'll take ten years off my life,"** remarked Maxi, speaking in Chinese with a slight Japanese accent.  
  
**"You're always ready to duel Maxi. Life as a pirate has sure made you paranoid,"** said Xianghua, giggling slightly and holding her right hand to her mouth._  
  
_**"You have to be ready for anything on the high seas. Maybe you shouldn't be so relaxed all the time Xianghua,"** said Maxi with a half serious tone.  
  
**"Then life wouldn't be as fun. Kilik is ready to leave now, we should make it past the Bosphoros soon."**  
  
**"I'll be coming in a moment,"** said Maxi, turning away from Xianghua.  
  
Only slightly dejected, Xianghua's expression dropped slightly as she turned around slowly to walk back to the camp. Turning around, she caught sight of Maxi, holding his nunchuks in his hands and gazing reflectively into the water. Xianghua knew that Maxi's nunchuks were created by one of his pirate friends killed by the hell spawn Astaroth. Xianghua knew that the death of Maxi's crew weighed heavily on his heart.  
  
**"Why must you torture yourself so...?"** thought Xianghua, glimpsing at Maxi through the foliage._  
  
A gust of cold wind snapped Xianghua back into reality. It was now late at night, and Xianghua had indeed found the ports she was looking for. Massive ships were docked in the harbor, swaying silently in the dark water. There was an eerie stillness in the air and in the water, a feeling that Xianghua could not quite shake off. She felt strange warmth in her pocket. Reaching inside, Xianghua procured the blood red shard of Soul Edge.  
  
"Why is it so warm? Is it reacting to something?" thought the young swordswoman.  
  
Looking around, Xianghua could not shake off the feeling that she was being watched. Trying to remain motionless, she used her peripheral vision to spy into the dark corners and crevices of her surroundings. Xianghua's breath quickened, her heart pounding. Whirling around, she saw a dark figure standing near a stack of wooden crates. It was a person, alright, yet shrouded in the shadows. Squinting her eyes, Xianghua took a few steps back, trying to distance herself. The shard of Soul Edge she carried seemed to grow warmer, emanating a strange red glow.  
  
"What in the world is happening," thought Xianghua.  
  
The strange figure inched closer to her, its movements jerky. As the figure came out of the shadows and into the pale moonlight, Xianghua noticed that there were small pools of blood flowing out from the shadow into the moonlight. The blood was dark red, and seemed to be dripping on the ground from the hands of the figure. Coming into view, Xianghua gasped. The figure had revealed himself to be an Indian man wearing tattered earth toned clothing and sandals. His hands were drenched in blood, his gaze crazed and filled with insanity. Reeling in horror, Xianghua noticed that he was carrying a strange red object, glowing a deathly red in the moonlight.  
  
"A shard of Soul Edge!" thought Xianghua, covering her mouth with her right hand.  
  
A strange fire burned in the crazed man's eyes, a hellish inferno of insanity that shook Xianghua to her very soul. Lunging like an animal, the man moved with inhuman speed towards Xianghua. She nimbly dodged the first lunge, allowing the man to tumble into a pile of sacks of grain and broken wooden crates. Gasping in horror, Xianghua looked on as the man got up, gripping his shard of Soul Edge and grinning maniacally.  
  
"It must be the shard, its driving the poor man insane!" thought Xianghua, wracking her brain to come up with a plan.  
  
Standing up, the crazed man lumbered around, grinning. Scanning the area, the man caught sight of an iron pole with a broken end. Laughing gutturally, he reached for the pole and armed himself with it, turning back towards Xianghua and lunged at her with inhuman speed and ferocity.  
  
Xianghua instinctively drew her sword from the scabbard, deflecting the clumsy attack of the man in one graceful, fluid sword stroke. Xianghua caught sight of the man's reflection within her sword, and noticed something strange. The man reeled forward, knocking into a pile of crates and sending splinters of wood flying into the air and into the water. Laughing still, the man stood up, his back slumped forward as if he could not stand up straight. He looked up, his yellow teeth etched into a feral grin, his eyes set in a murderous gaze. Xianghua tilted her trusty sword slightly, allowing herself to see the man's reflection. To her horror, Xianghua noticed the reflection of the man seemed to be on fire, as if he was being consumed alive by flames.  
  
"This is the work of the sword of evil. Even when it is broken up into shards it can twist the heart of man," thought Xianghua, readying her sword. Wasting no time, the man charged at Xianghua once more, swinging the iron pole with god like speed. Xianghua held her sword horizontally, blocking the first blow. Sparks flew into the air, landing on the ground. Swinging wildly a few more times, the man's aimless and wild swings were all blocked by the skillful Xianghua. Using her precision at swordsmanship, Xianghua tried to knock the shard from the man's hand, but ended up inadvertently slicing the man in the wrist. Blood flowed like a river onto the ground, as the wrist veins of the man had been severed. With the same zeal as before, the crazed man held the iron pole forward, hoping to skewer Xianghua. Whirling around in one fluid motion, Xianghua dodged the man's weapon, spun around behind him, did a back flip onto his shoulders, focused her strength into her heels, and sent the man crashing to the ground as Xianghua leaped into the air and onto a crate. Losing his grip on the shard, the man hit the ground and fell unconscious, blood pooling from his wrist. The shard flew a foot away, catching the moonlight and glowing eerily. Gasping for air, Xianghua spun around and quickly picked up the shard. The two shards glowed a sickly red, reacting to each other.  
  
Xianghua picked up the fallen man, lifting him on one shoulder and using herself as a brace.  
  
"His wound is serious, I need to get him to the temple and maybe they can help him. I don't want him to lose his life," thought Xianghua as she mustered all her strength and returned to the streets and alleyways of Sajarat. She did not mind the man's weight, or the fatigue she experienced. Xianghua did not want another person to become a victim of Soul Edge's evil influence. She quickly found her way to the temple, and called out in a loud voice as she walked up the steps past the gigantic elephant statue.  
  
"Someone! Anyone! Please help!" wailed Xianghua.  
  
Several of the monks that had been wandering the monastery soon came, and took the man from Xianghua's shoulders, lightening her burden.  
  
"He's hurt, please, he's hurt. Save him," she said, her voice weary due to her physical fatigue.  
  
Xianghua didn't understand the monks at all, but assisted them in carrying the man into the interior of the temple. Despite the language barrier, the monks knew that the man was in hurt and in need of attention. The monks laid the man down on a bed while other monks who had just woken up at the sound of Xianghua's call, brought mortar and pestles. Xianghua looked on, her anxiety clearly showing in her eyes. She noticed Rajit had come a few minutes later, talking to the other monks. He soon took notice of Xianghua and walked up to her.  
  
"What happened mistress?" asked Rajit.  
  
"This man was injured, I found him and brought him back", exclaimed Xianghua, finding a chair to sit on. Rajit simply nodded and helped his brothers attend to the man.  
  
"Mistress you will probably want to rest and leave the care of this man to us. Pragav will show you to your quarters," said Rajit, saying something in the local dialect to one of the monks, motioning his right hand towards Xianghua. Xianghua stood up and nodded towards one of the monks. She was soon lend into the interior of the temple. The floors were marble and smooth, and the walls were covered in various religious tapestries and murals. The temple was mostly dark and only light by a few torches. Walking down a long flight of carpeted stairs, Xianghua was led to her quarters in the basement. Pragav bowed, opening the wooden door leading into Xianghua's quarters. Nodding, she walked inside. Her quarters were very spartan. The room was adorned with a single bed with no pillow and a sheet, and a small wooden table and chair on the opposite side. Xianghua did not care, however, and flung herself on the bed. A single lit candle lay atop the table. Lying on her back, she stared at the ceiling and procured the two shards of Soul Edge.  
  
"These shards are just as dangerous as the sword itself. I can't find away to obliterate them, however. I won't stop my journey until I can rid the world of this sword," thought Xianghua, placing the shards and her sword under the bed. She reclined on her bed and stretched out fully.  
  
"How is it, though, that I'm not driven mad by the shards like that man was? If it turned him to evil, how many other people are being corrupted by Soul Edge, even now?"  
  
These thoughts troubled Xianghua, with no answer in sight. Sleep surely did not come easy that night. 


	3. Resolve of a lone soul

A spider, dangling from a single thread of web, slowly climbed its way down and landed on an old dark leather-bound book sitting on a desk. Skittering along, the spider crawled across several ancient tomes in Ancient Greek and Aramaic, finally stopping near a sword. The sword was about four or five feet in length with an exquisite pommel engraved with a green jewel. The sword's blade was the most interesting part, as it was divided into many equally sized sections held together by a single coil of iron, allowing the blade to extend and retract like a whip. Sitting in front of the blade, reclining on an old Victorian chair, was Ivy Valentine, the cursed heir to the Valentine mansion. Ivy looked out at the countryside of England, the foreboding forest illuminated by the haunting midnight moon. The rays streamed in through the window, causing Ivy's silver hair and haunting eyes to glow as if she were a phantasm.

Ivy was a recluse and stayed in the mansion she inherited from her deceased parents. No one lived for miles around, Ivy's residence guarded by several miles of dense forest. She spent the bulk of her time at work in her underground lab, translating ancient texts she would pick up on her trips to the holy land, or from books and tomes she had "borrowed" from the London archives. Her only companion was her Ivy blade, an enigmatic weapon infused with the same power that fuels the accursed Sword of Darkness, Soul Edge.

Ivy rested her head on her white gloved hand, looking out onto the landscape. She was in a very deeply depressed mood, her mind feeling sluggish and worn out. Ivy slumped back into her chair, sinking into its plushness. She turned her head, gazing at the Ivy blade resting on the table. Ivy clinged to the sword yet hated everything it symbolized. The same power that fueled the demonic Soul Edge also fueled the Ivy blade. The blade also reminded Ivy of her trip through Europe, meeting the azure knight, and the truth about her origins. Ivy's mind slowly drew her away from her study, back through the folds of time, to a place she knew all too well.

_Ash grey clouds hung in the night sky, flooding the heavens with darkness. Ivy, dressed in a long black cloak draped across her body, stood in front of a long abandoned stone cathedral in Normandy. Moss and ivy grew abundantly on the stone brick surface, climbing high into the sky towards the steeple. A large, possibly two or three feet high, statue of a praying angel was situated at the steeple. The passage of time and the inclement weather had taken its toll on the church. Resting a hand onto the entrance door, Ivy slowly peeked into the cathedral. The inside of the church was simply a large room, with two rows of pews lined up on both sides. Shards of broken stained glass lined the ground near the windows. On the far end of the cathedral was an altar with a large wooden cross. Behind the cross was a large candleholder with seven slots with seven long white candles. Ivy walked forward, her expression clearly annoyed._

"_What a waste of time, we were supposed to meet here…" thought Ivy._

_The candles near the altar lit by themselves, one by one. A small gust of wind blew into the cathedral, as the doors behind Ivy loudly closed shut._

"_What's going on here?!" thought Ivy, whirling around._

_A few moments passed, and a shadow like fog seeped in through the windows, obscuring everything. Ivy gasped, running back to the door but finding it locked, much to her dismay. Looking around frantically, Ivy walked forward._

"_There is no need for alarm," said a deep, raspy voice._

"_Who's there?!" asked Ivy, her voice a mix of anger and fear._

"_I am the one you have been seeking these past few weeks."_

"_Show yourself!" exclaimed Ivy._

"_There is no need. My physical presence is not required. Now to attend to the matter at hand. I feel our relationship can be mutually beneficial."_

_Ivy straightened her posture, pulling back her cloak. Her expression was stern and determined._

"_Well, what is it oh disembodied one?"_

"_You are to be a part of history, Ivy Valentine. In exchange for the power to destroy Soul Edge, I request that you join me to prepare for the summoning of souls."_

_Ivy perked up at the sound of 'Soul Edge'. It was the very reason she set out from her mansion onto the continent._

"_Think of it Miss Valentine. You can stop using that little gadget of yours and wield enough power to destroy the sword that drove your father to madness."_

"_How do you know about that?!"_

" _You need this power, do you not? No, you **yearn **for this power, do you not?"_

_Ivy simply fell silent for a few moments._

"_What is this summoning of souls you speak of?" asked Ivy in a low tone of voice._

"_My very existence on this plane, on this world, is to usher in a new era. I will summon a great power to this earth, that will make every mortal shake. I want you to be a part of my great awakening, Miss Valentine."_

_Ivy did not respond immediately, and instead looked around her. Her vision was obscured by the haze of the eerie black fog. Closing her eyes, Ivy simply gave a nod._

"_I am elated that you have agreed. Now if you would take out that toy of yours…"_

_Ivy complied, procuring the Ivy Blade from under her cloak. Taking it out of its scabbard, she held it in front of her. The sword was based on an Asian whip weapon, and Ivy had become quite skilled in using it. However deep down she knew that the sword was of mortal make, and no match for the untold power of Soul Edge. _

_Slowly the black fog surrounding Ivy began to move in her direction. Startled for a moment, Ivy looked around frantically not knowing what was going on. The smoke rushed upwards towards the sword, covering it in a thick smoke. Small crackles of lightning sprung forth from the smoky blackness. Frightened and a little excited, Ivy watched in wonderment as life was breathed into her sword… _

"In my search for the Soul Edge I met him, Nightmare, the azure knight. I was blinded by my lust for revenge, to avenge my father who had wasted his life searching for the sword…"

Ivy choked somewhat at the word father. Water welled in her eyes, however she soon mustered the resolve to maintain her composure.

"It was all a lie. He, the azure knight, gave birth to my blade, breathing into it a demonic life force. But what could I have expected. The curse of the blade flows through my very veins," thought Ivy, her mind bringing up the image of the dreaded pirate Cervantes, her own father. The face of Cervantes, ghastly and pale with long lochs of ghostly white hair falling down the sides, haunted Ivy for days without end. Breaking her concentration, the sound of horse hooves hitting earth could be heard in the distance. Ivy looked out of the window towards the horizon, squinting her eyes. A lone figure, seemingly small from the distance, could be seen riding towards the mansion.

"He's here on time for once," thought Ivy to herself as she walked out of her study towards the entrance to her mansion. The Valentine mansion was the envy of London society, at least back when its owner, Count Valentine, still had his sanity. The mansion was several floors, with each floor divided into dozens of long and oftentimes confusing hallways. Each hallway was adorned with the best furnishings the Valentine fortune could buy. The floors were adorned with tapestries specially made in Persia. Silver candleholders were mounted on the walls at equidistant intervals, the light reflecting softly onto the oak paneled wall. Count Valentine was a connoisseur of the arts, and had acquired several rare and fantastic pieces of art from Europe and displayed them on the walls in abundance.

Ivy finally was at the entrance. She grabbed a dark gray cloak from the coat stand. Draping it around herself, she walked outside and waited at the entrance of the mansion. It was not long before a young man sporting a dark gray coat and black slacks appeared riding a brown horse. Dismounting his steed, the man reached into a sack he had secured onto the horse and strode briskly over to Ivy.

"Pardon the delay madam, here is your package as you've requested," said the young man in a Scottish accent. Ivy quickly took the package and gave the man a small sack filled with gold coins.

"I thank you for such speedy delivery," said Ivy.

"This particular item was rather difficult to acquire, m'lady, as were the last two items you requested. My boss says we will not be able to make any more runs for you at least for a few weeks," said the young man.

"That is fine. After this I do not think I will have further need of your services," said Ivy.

The young man tipped his cap towards Ivy, and quickly mounted his steed.

Ivy quickly entered the mansion and walked down a series of winding hallways towards the library. Coming up to a large bookcase, Ivy pulled on one of the books, causing the case to spin and reveal a dark staircase leading down into the vast basement of the mansion. Count Valentine had constructed a hidden laboratory within the basement in order to research Soul Edge. Now Ivy was using the same laboratory for her own aims. The laboratory was well furnished and was kept in meticulous order. There was one large circular table in the middle of the room, as well as three other smaller desks, one on each side of the room. There were several racks either fixated to the wall or free standing filled with vials of varying substances or with books. Ivy placed the package on the center table, removing her cloak and hanging it on a nearby coat rack. Swiftly moving over to the bookcase on the far side of the room, Ivy moved her finger, searching for a specific title. Upon finding the necessary book, she picked it up and swiftly moved over to the center table, resting the book on the surface.

"Even though I made a fatal miscalculation before, my efforts thus far will not be in vain," thought Ivy as she flipped through the book. The book was in written in Sanskrit, and was mostly a compilation of Sutras and religious texts.

"The Dvapharan Sutra of the Vadras monks holds the key to my new quest. As does this…" thought Ivy as she hurriedly opened her package. Inside the package, wrapped in several layers of protective packaging, was an exquisite gold amulet inset with four rubies. The engravings on the amulet were small inscriptions in Sanskrit, as well as several indiscernible patterns. Ivy raised the amulet, looking onto the surface. Holding the book in her other hand, Ivy closed her eyes for a moment. The laboratory was silent for several moments, not even the sound of Ivy's breath breaking the tranquility. Ivy opened her eyes, a look of pure resolve apparent in her gaze.

"Dva pa ra ja imnus hatet istos samnan in no vashtet…" chanted Ivy in a loud, monotonous tone of voice. After a few more moments of the intent chanting, the amulet began to give off a soft golden glow, illuminating the laboratory. The rubies along its surface lit up brilliantly. The inscriptions on the amulet shone brilliantly. Ivy continued her chanting, the volume of her voice rising with every word of her chant. The amulet floated away from her grasp and hovered in midair, slowly revolving. A focused beam of light erupted from the four rubies on the amulet, and projected a picture onto the wall. The image looked as if it were a reflection on the surface of water. A scene of cramped alleyways nestled in between cold, gray brick stone buildings was reflected from the amulet.

"What is the amulet showing me?" thought Ivy.

The scene seemed to move, rolling quickly past the alleyways and onto what seemed to be a city quarter. There were several peasants walking a along a busy street.

"Is that…that is, it's the Sourbonne, in Paris!"

Within moments, the amulet's glow faded, and the amulet fell onto the surface of the table.

"The amulet of the Vadras monks is said to be attuned to energies of both good and evil within the world. Using their Sutra, I can harness this amulet to find the shards of Soul Edge. I had thought the sword destroyed when Nightmare was defeated by Xianghua but I know it still lives. Even within fragments the sword is still dangerous. I will finish my quest and make sure there is no trace of it left…"

Ivy gathered the amulet and her book and placed them within a sack situated nearby. Gathering a few of her things, she walked back upstairs and prepared to leave immediately on her quest. Finally entering her study, Ivy gazed at the Ivy blade lying on the desk, the moonlight hitting its surface.

"It looks like you and I are heading out on another journey."


	4. Peril on the high seas

It was early morning and Xianghua had already gotten up at the break of light to do her morning exercises. She had found an empty section of the temple, a beautiful courtyard near the back, where she practiced her swordsmanship in silence. Surrounded by exotic flowers and wooden statues of various Hindu gods, Xianghua performed her morning drills. The rays of the slowly rising sun shimmered brightly along the mirror like blade as she waved it through the air gracefully. Xianghua could not sleep well that night, nightmares of Soul Edge plaguing her troubled mind. The events of the night before, the crazed man, and the discovery of a new shard, had shaken her to the core. After a few moments, Rajit appeared and walked across the courtyard towards Xianghua.

"Good morning Rajit! How is he?" said Xianghua, referring to the crazed man that attacked her only the night before.

Rajit bowed his head low, his face covered by the hood of his sackcloth robe. Xianghua frowned, her eyes set in depression.

"Oh my…" she said, her voice rather low.

"How did you find the man in such a state mistress?" questioned Rajit.

Xianghua thought quickly, her mind racing to come up with some explanation. She resolved that she could not tell Rajit about her quest to destroy Soul Edge, or about the shards of the evil sword.

"I think he had been attacked by robbers. They left him for dead. Luckily I was nearby…but…"

"Tis' a sad situation mistress. However I'm glad you were at least able to get the man to us, so he didn't have to leave this world lying on the cold street. I have talked with the captain of the ship we will be taking and he said that the weather is perfect for sailing. We shall depart in one hour," said Rajit.

Xianghua simply nodded. Rajit turned and left back into the inner recesses of the temple. Xianghua looked up towards the early morning sky, a look of sadness set into her eyes.

An hour later, Xianghua met Rajit in front of the temple and followed him to the seaport. The true pride of the city was not just its ancient architecture but also its massive seaport. Boats from China, Persia, the Indonesian islands, and Europe all congregated en masse, carrying hundreds of different types of goods. The sweet smell of spices wafted through the port as the loud ruckus of sailors filled the air. Xianghua was taken aback by the sheer size of the port. After a few minutes she and Rajit walked up to a fantastically large ship. The mast of the vessel flew high into the sky, the pure white sails obscured by the burning sun. The ship looked new, as there were no signs of repair or damage that could be seen. Xianghua and Rajit walked up the plank and onto the ship. The first mate, a man by the name of Sarmat, was a rather short Indian man with incredibly dark skin. He and Rajit talked for a few moments as Xianghua looked around the port, trying to see if she could get a glimpse of Maxi. Rajit and Sarmat had started to walk away, while Xianghua seemed to stay transfixed in place.

"I'm sure he's here, somewhere…at least if he's still alive…" thought Xianghua.

"Mistress," said Rajit expectantly.

"Oh, coming," said Xianghua, turning around and following Rajit.

The sailors were piling on large crates using a series of pulleys, heaving the giant boxes with all their might.

"What type of cargo is this ship carrying?" asked Xianghua.

"All sorts mistress. Sarmat is a spice trader, so it's mostly spices from the Indonesian isles. They sell for quite a good amount at European markets. He's allowing us to sail with him to the other side of India, and from there mistress, you can make it into Persia, if all goes well."

"I'm sure it will," said Xianghua, her voice trailing off.

"You seem a little preoccupied today mistress, what is troubling you?" asked Rajit, honestly concerned.

"Oh it's really nothing Rajit. Sometimes I'm just plagued with doubt."

"That is natural, especially since you are embarking on such a long and arduous trip, mistress. I am not sure for exactly what purpose you are doing all of this, but I do understand that your reasons must weight heavily on you. Trust yourself, it's the best advice anyone can give," said Rajit, turning and smiling to Xianghua.

Xianghua looked at Rajit, her eyes nearly watering. She stooped low and hugged him, smiling warmly and feeling a sense of renewal. Rajit simply grinned and patted her on the back.

Breaking the embrace, Xianghua followed Rajit into the inside of the ship. The interior of the ship was very large and mostly empty, as the sailors were all outside preparing for departure. Sarmat continued to talk to Rajit in the native dialect, as Xianghua simply followed behind. Sarmat led Rajit and Xianghua to their cabin, and quickly took his leave to assist in managing the affairs of the ship. The room was quite cramped, and the word 'comfortable' simply could not be applied to it. There was a simple bunk bed with dark blue sheets, a small dresser, and a chair with a damaged backing.

"Not exactly the royal suite, mistress, but for our purposes it will do," said Rajit jokingly.

"As long as we can continue as scheduled I'll have no complaints," said Xianghua, laying her things down on the bed.

"I think I'm going to go back up and get a better view of the city. I won't be back to India for awhile so I should try to take in as much as possible," said Xianghua, walking out of the room. Rajit simply nodded, and began to unpack his things.

Walking back onto the deck, Xianghua looked out at the expensive port. She felt that if she continued to look, even up until the last minute, she might catch a glimpse of Maxi. She never saw him, and the ship soon lifted anchor and sailed off into the wide blue ocean. Xianghua watched as the cityscape of Sajarat slowly disappeared into the horizon. All around her was the churning of the Indian Ocean, and the occasional cry of a seagull.

Night had fallen and Xianghua was resting in her quarters, chatting with Rajit about various topics of mutual interest.

"You don't say Rajit?" said Xianghua, turning around in her bed to look at Rajit, her voice filled with surprise.

"It is quite true mistress."

"You were a soldier before you became a monk?"

"Yes I was in the armed guard of Sultan Vajraheen, ruler of Kashmir. I was captain of his personal army."

"So why become a monk then? It sounds like you were in a pretty important position."

"Ahh but things are not as simple as position and power in this world, Xianghua, at least not for someone with the conscience that I possess. The sultan was a rather crooked man, always impulsive and quick to anger. I distinctly remember the day when he ordered my men and I to capture Sarwal, the leader of a village in the mountains. The sultan owned a lot of land, but that was not enough for him. He wanted us to take over this little village in the mountains, believing they were defying his rule. Well we went as per our orders, but the villagers were not militant in the slightest. They were mostly herders and sustenance farmers who were poor enough as it was, not to mention the hefty economic burden the sultan needlessly put on them. I did not want to harm the village in any way, but my second in command usurped my power. The sultan instructed him that if I did not carry out my orders that he should do it instead and take my place as captain. Well he tried to kill me,"

Xianghua let out a gasp.

"But I managed to get away in time, pretty injured though I might add. I later found out everyone in the village had been massacred. I somehow felt it was my fault, but after some years had passed I no longer blame myself for it."

"You shouldn't Rajit, it wasn't your fault that the sultan was such a dirty man. Those poor villagers though…" said Xianghua, lying on her back and staring at the ceiling.

"I felt so awful after that episode I never returned to the sultan's palace and immediately became a holy man. I felt it was the only right thing to do, and I have never since regretted my choice," said Rajit.

Xianghua was about to chime in as the sound of an explosion echoed throughout the ship.

"What's going on?!" exclaimed Xianghua, looking out of the cabin window. In the distance she could see another ship and the flare of cannons firing. The ship was getting closer.

"Pirates? Oh no, everyone on this ship is in danger, they might try to sink it…" wailed Xianghua.

"I doubt that mistress, the cargo on this ship is incredibly valuable. They'll probably try to board us. Those were just warning shots."

Xianghua felt warmth in her pocket; the shards of Soul Edge were reacting!

"I've got a very bad feeling about this..." she thought.

The sounds of sailors running clamored outside of their suite. Xianghua was not the type to just sit around when danger lurked, and ran out of the suite, if not just to get a look at the other ship.

"Mistress, it's dangerous!" yelled out Rajit, but Xianghua paid him no heed and immediately made her way to the deck of the ship.

The enemy ship was now extremely close, apparently attempting to board the spice ship. Xianghua noticed that the sails of the enemy ship bore the insignia of skull and crossbones.

"Typical pirates. It seems this ship has no defenses, I'll help out if we're boarded. But still, why are the shards of Soul Edge reacting? Is there another shard somewhere close by?" thought Xianghua who tried to stay out of the way of the sailors who were all running about preparing to defend the ship. Xianghua noticed a small cloaked figure darting from one stack of crates to the other.

"What was...?" Her thoughts were immediately interrupted by the loud screams of the enemy pirates as they threw across a long wooden plank Streams of vicious looking men clad in haggard clothing brandishing vicious blades came onto the ship, and a fierce battle ensued. The crews of both ships were locked in heated battle, and Xianghua was right in the middle of it. She immediately drew her sword and joined in the fray. One rather large pirate was brandishing two cutlasses and had cornered one of the sailors near a large wooden crate, ready to skewer the poor man. Xianghua immediately reacted, jumping onto the crate, and performing a flying kick right into the pirates face, knocking him back at least seven feet. She gracefully landed on her feet, sword ready to face the next enemy. Surprised, a few other pirates took notice of Xianghua and came rushing over.

"So they have women guarding ships now? That's a riot, say Ahmed, looks like we've got a pretty little fighter here," said one of the pirates, a rather grimy looking man with long black hair tied under an orange and white bandanna.

"Let's take her back on the ship and have some fun with her," said the other pirate grinning with a full set of yellow, grimy teeth.

"I'm not going to hold back you know," said Xianghua smiling slightly.

Taken aback by her confidence, both pirates lunged at Xianghua with their cutlasses ready. Dodging the bandanna pirate's thrust by spinning to one side, Xianghua grabbed the pirate's leg, flipped over him, landing on the other side and swept the other leg out from under him. Ahmed swung wildly at Xianghua, his sword swings rather unskilled and easily avoidable. Xianghua disarmed the pirate in one fluid stroke of her sword and immediately planted her right foot on his cheek, knocking him unconscious onto the ground.

"Nothing to it," said Xianghua looking around. One pirate lumbered toward her with a flintlock pistol, the barrel pointed straight at her.

"Let's see you dodge this one," said the pirate laughing to himself.

Xianghua's eyes grew wide as she knew she could not survive a gun shot. Just as the pirate was about to pull the trigger a small cloaked figure immediately leapt onto him, knocking him down onto the ground. The gun clattered across the deck several feet away, and the pirate lay unconscious on the ground. Xianghua looked up with astonishment towards the small gray cloaked figure who just saved her life. Just then, she noticed a warmth in her pocket, the shards of Soul Edge were reacting.

"Who is this person?" thought Xianghua.


	5. A new friend

Xianghua didn't know how quite to react when the small cloaked figure toppled over the pirate with one swift kick.

"Who… are you?" asked Xianghua.

The cloaked figure pulled the hood and revealed the face of a small child with raven black hair and dark eyes. The girl could not have been more than fourteen to fifteen years of age. She wore a loose fitting creamy white shirt with the mid-drift open, as well as white shorts that came down to the ends of her thighs with light green trim. She wore her hair in two braids reaching down almost to her shoulders.

"My name is Talim, but we really don't have the time for introductions at the moment. We still have pirates to fend off," she said in perfect Chinese.

"Well she does have a point," thought Xianghua as she readied her sword. Three more pirates had spotted the two young women, and drew their curved long-swords.

"You'll pay for what you did to our friends, wenches," sneered one pirate as he rushed headlong towards Xianghua and Talim, his sword ready. Before Xianghua could react, Talim leaped gracefully into the air, flipped forward, and planted both of her feet right in the face of the oncoming pirate. He flew backwards and landed with a violent thud, his sword clattered across the deck. The other two pirates looked at their fallen comrade, and apparently losing their will to fight, immediately ran off.

The battle raged on for only a little while longer, as the pirates eventually went running back to their ship, leaving their beaten comrades to fend for themselves. The planks had been raised, and the pirates sailed off with their tail in between their legs. Xianghua took a moment to catch her breath, and tried to help as many injured crew men get back to their feet. She kept an eye on Talim, the evil aura of the shards of Soul Edge seemed to emanate from the young girl. Talim was being as helpful as she could, and assisted many injured crew members.

"She doesn't seem evil, but she most undoubtedly has more shards…" thought Xianghua. When she found a moment, Xianghua immediately walked over to Talim. The young girl was helping a crew man onto his feet, and assisted him with sitting on a crate.

"That's a nasty wound you have there…" said Talim, looking at the long, deep slash along the man's arm. Talim had a rather calming, sweet voice that reminded Xianghua of a waterfall. "I'll apply some bandages and a salve. It'll be awhile before it heals."

Talim procured a few bandages and some plants from within the folds of her cloak. She laid out the bandages and expertly crushed the plants, smearing the paste onto the bandage.

"This is going to burn..." she said applying the bandage to the wound. The crew man winced, but did not make a show of the pain he obviously felt.

"Thank you so much," he said.

"It's nothing."

"That's pretty impressive," said Xianghua, interjecting.

"Well I was trained as a healer in my temple. I really don't have everything I need, but I have to travel light."

The two women stood for a moment in silence, looking at each other.

"Can we speak…" said Xianghua.

"…in private? Yes, we should" said Talim, finishing the sentence.

Both women made their way down into the depths of the ship, and made their way to Xianghua's room. Talim immediately sat herself down on a chair.

"Good, Rajit is not here. He won't hear our conversation," thought Xianghua, relieved.

"You have a shard of Soul Edge, I can sense it," said Talim, wanting to get straight to the point.

"As well as you, I could sense it immediately when the pirate ship attacked."

"Are you collecting the shards?" said Talim with an air of suspicion in her voice.

"Yes, that is my plan. I thought I had destroyed the sword long ago, but all I ended up doing was shattering it into many pieces. I'm just finishing what I started, and that is to destroy the sword."

"I have taken up that quest as well."

Xianghua paused a moment and looked at the young girl.

"But you're still a child. Why would you take on such a dangerous quest?"

"I know it's dangerous, but it's my duty as a wind priestess."

"A wind priestess? Where do you come from? Your Chinese is perfect but you definitely don't look Chinese."

"I'm from a village in the Philippines. I am one of the wind priestesses in my village. Everyone in my village worships the great wind deity, or at least most did before the westerners arrived. The wind carries news from all over the world, and during my training I was able to learn many of the world's languages, including Chinese."

"Wow, a priestess then. You also want to destroy the shards of Soul Edge?"

"Of course. It's evil has spread across the world. I can feel its malice whenever the wind happens to blow by. I'm one of the last priestesses left so I felt it was my duty to take on this quest. I decided to stow away on a ship and find all of the shards."

"You were hidden on the ship that attacked us then. But that's so dangerous, what if you were found out?"

"Thankfully I wasn't. I didn't plan to come out of hiding, but then my shards reacted to yours, and so I had to investigate."

"You're very courageous…" said Xianghua, her voice fading gently. She looked at the young priestess, a mere child. Despite her age though, Xianghua could see a look of determination and resolve.

"You said you had tried to destroy the sword before?" asked Talim expectantly.

"A few years ago, myself and two other traveling companions tracked down the sword in Europe. At first I did not know that the sword itself was pure evil, but I soon found out. When we finally found it, we faced its owner, the azure knight Nightmare, in combat. I lost two of my friends in that battle, at least as far as I know…" said Xianghua, tears welling up slightly in her eyes as she thought back.

"I'm sorry," said Talim bowing her head, her voice lowered.

"No it's alright. I still hold onto the hope that they are still out there somewhere. Those two aren't the kind to die so easily."

"If you tried to destroy it once, how do we know that it really can be done…," said Talim.

"I'm sure there's a way, although I have not figured it out yet. At the very least I…" said Xianghua, who stopped talking as soon as Rajit appeared in the room. The monk was very surprised to see Talim sitting in the room.

"Well there have sadly been some casualties mistress, but I'm thankful we were able to fight off the pirates. I have assisted as much as I could. Oh, my, it seems we have a guest," said Rajit bowing low.

"This is Talim, she was held captive on the pirate ship but managed to escape in the confusion," said Xianghua, motioning towards Talim, shooting the young girl a quick glance. A little confused, Talim decided it was best to go along with it.

"Pleased to meet you," she said, standing up and making a short bow.

"I am Rajit. I am guiding Xianghua to the other side of the Indian continent."

The three began to converse about various topics. Talim was always very polite and respectful, and Rajit found her to very knowledgeable about world religions and points of interest.

Night had fallen, the stars hung in the sky radiating a haunting glow on the Indian Ocean. Most of the crew were asleep beneath the deck. Talim could not sleep that night, her mind was too troubled. She stood at the edge of the deck, overlooking the ocean. The full moon was very large that night, and the ocean was very calm. Talim began to think to herself, fading away into memory.

_Gathering her clothes and belongings into a sack, Talim looked at the objects in her room in the wind temple. The quilts her mother had sewn were hung on the walls. They were of various bright colors and intricate patterns, and Talim always appreciated how reminders of her mother were so close by. A knock came from the door._

"_Come in."_

_A young girl, no older than Talim, appeared through the door wearing a long white gown. Her midnight black hair was very long, flowing down to her knees. _

"_Sarwal, it's you," said Talim with an air of surprise in her voice._

"_Yes, I heard you were leaving? Why not wait for everyone to at least send you off?"_

"_I don't want to see everyone's tears. Besides, I'll definitely come back. I have to."_

"_You know…you don't have to…you know…you could simply stay with us…"_

"_No I can Sarwal. The world is in danger, I'm sure you can feel it too. I can't sit here idly by while evil spreads across the lands. No one is safe. I have to do this. I wish there was another way."_

"_But when you're gone…I'm only in training…" said Sarwal twiddling her fingers, her head hanging low._

"_You'll make a wonderful priestess. Besides the villagers will need someone while I'm gone, since it will most likely be for awhile, so in any case…"_

_Talim could not finish her sentence as Sarwal began to cry and collapsed in Talim's arms. Both young women simply stood there, both realizing their own fates._

"I'll return as soon as possible Sarwal, to you and the other villagers. It won't be too long. Besides, it seems the wind deity has granted me some help…"

Elsewhere in Germany, A gray cloaked figure rode into Ostrheinsburg castle on a dark horse. The once proud stronghold of Ostrheinsburg was now a tattered, broken shell of it's former glory. The fabulous stone towers were now merely rubble. The great gates leading into the inner halls of the castle were broken in, the shards of wood scattered along the ground. The strange figure dismounted from his horse, and carried a rather thick leather tome in his left hand. Walking in a rather stately manner, the sound of his feet hitting the stone cobbled walkway leading into the interior of the castle rang throughout the cold air.

"It seems this is the place," said the figure, his voice raspy and deep.

Walking past the gate and into the courtyard, the figure stopped near the entrance and surveyed the area.

"This is the spot alright. This time…this time my creation will not fail."

The figure opened his book and flipped through several pages. Procuring a piece of chalk from the inner folds of his robe, he bent down and traced two concentric circles, writing small runes along the edge. When this was done, he next procured a small vial filled with some unidentifiable rust red liquid. Mumbling strange words under his breath, he opened the vial and began splashing the liquid on the ground. Clasping both of his hands together, the chanting grew louder and louder. Soon, the liquid seemed to boil, filling the ground with a light red haze. The runes on the circle lit up as if on fire.

"Manu vas to rat men sufrus den ni at tem vot as sufrus" chanted the figure, waving his hand over the circle. The mist coalesced, crackling with red lightning and swirled high into the air. Loud wailing pierced through the air. A spirit seemed to be rising from the circle. It looked like a misty red humanoid mass of energy, releasing an unholy wail. The mist congealed into blood, then muscle and skin formed over the mass of blood. In a flash of blinding light, the creature was whole.

"Welcome back Astaroth" said the hooded figure.


	6. Duel of Shadows

Author Notes: Because all the characters speak an array of different languages, I decide to add a few words in with the English to help with the effect. I will include translations here: Shi o kakugo – Prepare to die, Kuso – Expletive, Ima no uchi ni –Now's my chance.

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Back in the mortal world and free from the fiery realm he was sentenced to, Astaroth breathed in fresh air once more. The abomination to creation hefted his axe once more and turned to his creator.

"It seems you are doing well. It took some time and trouble to resurrect you, but now that you're back we can return to our original mission", said the robed figure.

Astaroth was very simple minded, and his thoughts usually could be summed up in one word or at the very most two. Whenever he had to listen to his master, the one word that immediately bubbled to the surface was "annoyed".

"Yes master Khassat" said Astaroth in a low voice, kneeling on one knee.

Thoroughly pleased with himself, the hooded figure pulled back his hood and revealed a bald head with tattoos of profane images tattooed on his neck. Khassat was a high priest of an ancient Egyptian cult linked with gods of war. Most of the other cultist had been killed in purges led by Islamic jihadists, but nowadays they could mostly worship and carry out their evil ambitions with some relative security.

"Soul Edge lives my friend. It is in pieces, but nothing can destroy it's will to persist in our world. As before, your mission will be to find Soul Edge. I'll give you something to help you find the other shards," said Khassat, procuring a red shard from the inner folds of his robe. Astaroth held the shard in his palm. He fondly remembered the allure of the soul of evil, how its natural violent nature called to Astoroth. He had worked alongside Ivy and Nightmare, only so that he could obtain the sword which cried out for him. A dark desire resurfaced within Astaroth, which caused him to chuckle darkly.

"I've also made some adjustments to you since last time, so you won't get defeated so easily. Remember, once you find the sword, journey back to our altar. It is there we will offer it to Ares and war will spread across the world."

Astaroth simply grunted at his master. War and conquest were too complicated for Astaroth's feeble mind to really comprehend, let alone desire. The only thing he desired for the moment was the death of the man who had beaten him at the very place he stood, Maxi.

"I suggest you get moving quickly. The shard shall lead you to the others, as well as the spirit of Soul Edge which still resides within it. What is it Astaroth?"

"Someone here," grunted Astaroth, hefting his axe and looking around, smelling with his caved in nose.

Slightly panicked, Khassat also began to pace around the area, looking to see if anyone was actually there.

"Shard warm."

"That mean there must be another one nearby, quickly, look around and see if you can locate it. You can find the rest of the shards in the same matter."

Astaroth simply looked at his master, hefted his axe, and started off on his journey. Watching the two from a distance in a tree was a thin, athletic asian woman dressed in loose fitting green and white garb. Her skin was moonlight pale, contrasting sharply with her midnight black hair. This woman was none other than the stealthy and deadly ninja, Taki.

"Damn, the big monster almost spotted me," she thought to herself, breathing a sigh of relief. "It seems the big demon is back alive. Investigating the castle grounds was worth it after all. I wonder if the thing realizes how to track down people with the shard more exactly. Oh well, if he doesn't it'll buy me some time at the very least."

With the grace of a cat, Taki leapt down from the high tree branches, and made her way to the ground without making much noise. Reaching towards her dagger scabbards, Taki felt the warmth she always felt when she came in contact with a shard of Soul Edge.

"My daggers were made with a part of that evil sword, so they react in the same way the shards do. I'm sure once that beast figures out how it all works, he'll have figured out that someone with a shard was nearby. Oh well, it doesn't look like he's won any contest for brains, so I'm in the clear. Now, I'd better continue with my investigation of the castle."

Taki had traveled a long way from her homeland of Japan all the way to Ostrheinsburg castle in Germany. After figuring out Soul Edge was still loose in the world, and that her blades were of the same make, Taki couldn't sit idly by. The most logical place to start looking would be in the place the sword (the sword as a whole) was last seen, and rumors all seemed to point to the abandoned castle.

"There may be no evidence left here, but I wouldn't want to leave any stone unturned," thought Taki as she stealthily made her way into the castle. The smell was rather rank, as the castle was situated near a bog. Decayed skeletons of fallen warriors lying on the ground certainly did not add to the allure of the castle. Pushing the wooden doors forward, Taki tried not to make too much noise, lest Astaroth and his master come back and find her snooping around. Like a cat, she sneaked down hallway after hallway, corridor after corridor, looking for any clues. Most of the belongings in the castle had been taken away by robbers, so there really was nothing of any real value. The banners with the coat of arms of the castle family still hung on the wall, although in tattered shreds.

"Man I'm picking up nothing, I'm sure this place has been picked clean by many an opportunist…" thought Taki swearing to herself.

Finding herself in a church, Taki looked out the window at the bleak landscape of the castle grounds. How far away from the mountain slopes of Japan she was. Taki was not really the type to like travel, as she much preferred the calm and tranquility of her native lands. The river near her dojo was a prime place for meditation and contemplation, and there were always small nestled hideaways where one could train intensely. However duty always called her off to strange lands. Realizing her two blades were infused with the evil of Soul Edge, Taki inferred that the sword still existed and could possibly be wandering the lands slaughtering the innocent. "It might just take evil to destroy evil" thought Taki, who put the burden of destroying the sword of evil squarely on her own shoulders. Besides, no other weapon of mortal make could possibly stand up to a legendary sword of destruction. Her quiet moment of contemplation was broken by the sound of an unsettling, guttural laugh.

"Follow smell, rat come back," breathed Astaroth in Arabic, appearing through the doorway.

Startled, Taki turned around and saw Astaroth. She definitely didn't speak a word of Arabic, but she did understand that she'd been found out and now the huge beast was going to show her no mercy. Looking around for an escape path, Taki drew two small balls from her hip sack, and threw them to the ground. The place was immediately filled with a noxious black smoke. Under the protection of the hazy smoke, Taki made her way to the window and leaped out of it. Astaroth seemed totally unfazed by the smoke and simply laughed, running after Taki and smashing through the solid brick wall.

"Kuso, what is this thing! I don't want to have to try and take it down in a stand up fight. There has to be some way I can slip away," thought Taki as she tried to frantically find an escape route. Sadly there really wasn't any. The moat was too long to really leap across, and she'd have to reach the bridge before Astaroth did, and given the demon's speed, that'd be a highly risky endeavor. "No choice," thought Taki as she readied her two deadly daggers from their scabbards.

Rather pleased, Astaroth slowed down his run and hefted his axe, gleeful at the thought of inflicting pain and violence.

"Shi o kakugo!" yelled Taki as she ran forward, bobbing left and right with near inhuman agility. Swinging his axe as if it were a small stick, Taki managed to dodge the blow by ducking under, then using all of her leg strength, leapt up into the air and planted both feet in the demon's face, flipping backwards and landing in fighting position. Dismayed, she soon saw that Astaroth was hardly affected.

"Small hits aren't going to take this thing down I guess," thought Taki as she began to move back and forth, prepared to dodge Astaroth's next attack.

"Die you worm!" yelled out Astaroth gleefully as he sent his axe crashing towards the ground. Taki totally lost her footing due to the sheer impact of the axe blow and was flung into the air along with ground and debris. She was able to right herself in midair, then while planting her left foot down on the ground, did a cartwheel around the monster. In one swift motion she rushed like a panther at Astaroth, slashing him across the side with her dagger, drawing a stream of blood. Much to her chagrin, the monster seemed to actually be enjoying the skirmish despite his wound.

"I can't keep this up, this thing is inhuman…"

"Exterminate…"

Astaroth then swung his axe again, this time and almost twice the original speed. Taki was able to just barely leap over the swing, the blade nearly missing her feet by a few scant centimeters. The side of the castle wall had been practically wrecked, debris of grey brick flying through the air. Taki reached into her little sack on her waist and procured a few shurikens, immediately sending them shrieking towards Astaroth. Several landed squarely in the monsters skin, drawing small trickles of blood.

"One last thing to try, I have to get out of here…" thought Taki, eager to end the skirmish.

Taki found a small bag filled with a strange yellow liquid and put it in the palm of her hand. Seemingly recklessly, she made a beeline straight towards the grinning Astaroth. The demon took his axe and used it like a plow, running like a mad bull right at Taki. In a display of god like agility, Taki managed to leap up, use the top of the axe as a vault, and flung the bag of yellow liquid in Astaroth's face. The liquid made a sizzling sound, and Astaroth immediately fell down to the ground screaming like a wounded animal.

"Ima no uchi ni…" thought Taki as she ran away as fast as she could.

"Burn, hate burn!" cried out Astaroth, grabbing his face in pain. Taki wasted no time in making her way to the forest and kept running, not looking back.

"Let's pray I never have to face that thing again. I probably will when I have to take his shard away, but we can save that battle for another day. Right now I have to make as much distance between him and I as possible."

The lone female ninja ran like a living shadow through the dense growth of the forest, continuing her search across Europe to destroy Soul Edge.

A small boat floated into a silent, foggy harbor in Normandy, France. The oarsman was a rather gruff looking Englishman, and his passenger was a woman dressed in a slender grey cloak. Pulling back the hood slightly, Ivy revealed her platinum hair, letting the moonlight hit it. Procuring a few coins from her purse, she nonchalantly paid the oarsman and made her way onto the harbor.

"Paris. Paris is where I'll start my journey…" thought Ivy with a newfound determination.


	7. Mansion of secrets

/Language Translation/

C'est incroyable – It's incredible.

Mon petit chou – my little cabbage (term of endearment)

La maison de Richault – The house of Richault

Tu veux une pomme? – Do you want an apple?

---------------------

On the outskirts of Paris, in a large and foreboding mansion, Raphael Sorel was frantically searching through the library of the mansion he was now a "guest" in.

"The old man sure was fond of reading, look at the amount of books he's collected," thought the young fencer, as he wheeled the ladder he was standing on over to check the next stack of books.

Raphael was a French noble from a long line of other blood sucking aristocrats. For the greater part of his life he was proud to be included in their number. He definitely looked the part, with a full head of coiffed blonde hair and sporting the latest style in French fashion. Raphael was also given a treacherous, calculating nature to go along with his noble exterior. In the realm of nobility there is nothing outside of pleasantries, balls, visits to summer homes, and general underhandedness and subterfuge. Life was about weaving a house of lies and living in it for the gentry of France, and Raphael was no exception. But that was before he was ousted from his roost, and was hunted down by his own relatives. However, the trauma of his recent exploits was far from the young man's mind. Instead, his head was filled with finding more about the origins of the 'evil seed'.

The 'evil seed' as it came to be known in many circles in Europe, was a strange madness that overtook the less fortunate once they came in contact with it. Few people, if anyone, really knew what physical form the 'evil seed' took on, or if it was all just a stupid rumor. However, as far as Raphael was concerned, it's power was real and something that needed to be understood and harnessed. It was the rumor of the 'evil seed' that started the chain of events that ousted him from his cushy lifestyle. A relative of his had been struck with the madness of the 'evil seed', and using that as an excuse, allowed many rival noble families to target the Sorel's. In exchange for safety, Raphael's own family turned on him and forced him into fleeing. Such betrayal was common among the nobility, but this time Raphael was the injured party.

Fallen from grace, Raphael's mind was now bent on understanding the origins of the 'evil seed'. Looking through book after book, he started to get frustrated.

"Information on the evil seed has to be somewhere in here. Don't tell me I got rid of that old miser for nothing," sneered Raphael as he threw a book down to the floor in disgust. It had been only a week since Raphael invited himself and Amy into _la maison de Richault_. After spending weeks in the slums of Paris, living at the very depths of poverty, Raphael felt it was time to enter back into his element. Using his renowned wit and charm, he talked the owner of the house, Gilbert Richault, into letting he and Amy stay. Richault, a pot bellied old French man from Avignon, was very reluctant to let someone with the Sorel family name stay in his home, but after seeing Amy, the old man acquiesced. Richault mainly dealt in exotic and rare antiques, and had a ready and ample market with the nobility of Paris. Aristocrats were usually suckers for the words "ancient" and "rare" especially when applied to strange looking pieces of junk, and Richault used this to his full advantage when building up his possessions.

The fortune the old man had gathered over the years mostly went into the fabulous Richault mansion. The building had an innumerable number of rooms, each furnished with exotic furniture, mostly from the orient. The libraries were the main attraction, as there were three, each practically overflowing with ancient texts. Even the homes Raphael used to stay in were nothing compared to the mansion as far as size and the general splendor of furnishing.

"It really is too bad you can't take it with you," Raphael thought to himself, darkly mocking the old man.

Before he and Amy had become residents of the Richault mansion, Raphael was a homeless wretch, begging for money on the streets of Paris. Ousted from the ranks of the Parisian elite, he was a wanted man. Each new day brought new torment, as he was mostly hunted down by police and had to hide in hovels and slums. During that time, he had no friends, and his foes wanted nothing more than his speedy demise. It was during this trying time that Raphael found Amy. While perusing through an ancient encyclopedia, Raphael thought back to only a few weeks ago…

_Lying in a gutter, on a grey lifeless day, Raphael had just about given up all will to live. The stench of the slum he had been hiding in was so putrid and foul any normal person would vomit upon entering. Sadly for the ex-noble, such places were now his home, and the crows that picked at the garbage his dinner guests. The sun had faded awhile ago, wrapped away in swirling grey clouds. It was when Raphael had almost willed himself to die, that a young girl handed him an apple._

"_Tu veux une pomme?"_

_Immediately taking the fruit, Raphael ate it like a ravenous dog. An apple…who knew such a simple fruit could taste so sweet? Looking up at the girls face, the young man thought he saw an angel of mercy. _

"_Merci, what is your name little girl?"_

"_My name is Amy," she said. Amy wasn't a sweet child, and any joy or playfulness that she might share with other children her age had long died in the slum she had been living in. Raphael stood, no longer longing for death, but instead longing to understand what he felt when he saw the innocence in Amy's eyes._

It was for her sake he was searching for the 'evil seed'. After meeting the little girl he spent a lot of time soul searching. Given his experiences in the slum, Raphael saw that there are millions of people who died in the gutter without hope. The only reason for this is because they lived for the purposes of the aristocrats, who had no other desire in their life than to consume and destroy themselves and others in petty wars and secret plots.

"I can't let that kind of power land in the hands of some noble or aristocrat. No, they'd use it to continue their pointless existence until everyone was consumed by their desire for destruction. I will find the evil seed and use its power myself to protect Amy and all other children like her from the cruel fate life had in store for them," resolved the young fencer.

Snapping back into reality, Raphael single mindedly continued his search through the library, picking through volume after volume of texts and books. While reading through another encyclopedia, Raphael was interrupted by the sound of a little girl.

"What are you looking for?" asked Amy, a young scrubby looking red haired girl. She was dressed in a nightgown Raphael had found for her in one of the many rooms of the castle.

"Amy…you surprised me. No, it's nothing. I'm just trying to see if there is anything interesting in the library…" Raphael was terrible at dealing with children, especially small ones. Most of the nobles were all raised by their nannies, and the parents were more like banks than objects of nurturing. Rubbing her eyes, the little girl raised a small brown teddy bear in the air.

"I found this in my room. Isn't he rather adorable?"

"Yes he is. Aren't you tired … sweet heart?" The word didn't seem to come out right, but at the very least it was worth the effort.

"Well I am tired, and this place is kind of scary at night. Will you tuck me in? It helps me sleep at night."

"Of course, here, let's go back to your room together," said Raphael climbing down the ladder and approaching the little girl. Taking her hand, he led her down the many hallways of the dark mansion back to the girl's room. Raphael felt a little odd holding such a small hand, but he knew he would get used to it as time passed. Lifting Amy up, Raphael placed her on the bed and covered her with the dark blue down comforter.

"Good night my little princess," said Raphael, kissing the girl on the forehead.

"Good night Ralphy," said the little girl closing her eyes and falling into slumberland.

Raphael never had a nick name or a pet name, and Ralphy was hardly to his taste. But when Amy said it, oh when Amy called him that, his heart soared. She was the innocence Raphael never had, and he wanted to protect her.

--------------------------------------------

Paris was a beautiful city during the day, but rather mysterious once night fell. The many back alleys and narrow streets indicative of the capital of France blanketed the city in mystery. Wrapped in a dark grey cloak, Ivy Valentine was making her way through the foggy city, her weapon concealed in a sheath beneath her cloak. Ivy was no stranger to the darkness; in fact she often welcomed it. Hearing footsteps, she hid behind the wall in a back alley, waiting for two drunken sailors to pass. The lone woman was on a search for a shard of Soul Edge she knew to be in the city. Problem was, the vision from the talisman didn't give her an exact location or enough clues to really track it down in the large city.

"This is really starting to become a headache," thought Ivy as she held her fingers to her forehead. She really couldn't handle stress all that well and often got tension headaches.

Wandering the city for a few more hours under the cover of shadow did little in the way of providing her clues. Just when she was about to give up, Ivy overheard two patrolmen chatting. Ivy, like most of the upper class she belonged to, learned French. She was perfectly fluent. One of the guards took out a cigarette and lit it with a match procured from his pocket. Taking a long drag, he let out a great puff of smoke.

"_C'est incroyable_, Pierre. Did you hear about that old mansion on the northern hill?"

"Non, Jacques, why?" said the other guard, taking out a cigarette of his own and lighting it.

"The old man that lived in that mansion was said to be a hermit. Never left his house in over fifteen years, had his servants do all of the shopping. The man used to be in antiques, built up a fortune selling whatever he found,"

"Yeah I hear you can make quite a pretty penny doing stuff like that."

"Well no one has heard from him in awhile. A little birdy tells me he invited someone to come live with him. Quite a shocker too, they say the old boy isn't very personable."

"Probably some broad trying to move in on the old dude's wealth. All she'd have to do is show the old man some leg, and bam, she'd be in."

"Something tells me that's not the case Jacques. The man is old, besides, if you were rich enough to maintain your wealth for so long, you wouldn't get tricked so easily."

"Well anyone know who has moved in?"

"No one's seen anyone come or go from that place in awhile, but some of the neighbors say they hear strange sounds at night. Kind of spooky really."

Ivy had heard enough, this might be the clue she needs. Walking rather boldly towards the two soldiers, Ivy pulled back her hood and stated quite plainly "Where is that mansion?" The soldiers were taken aback by the woman's brash manner.

"Well where did you come from? Have you been listening the whole time _mon petit chou_?" said Pierre, flashing a smile, trying his best to flirt. Ivy was totally unamused.

"I will ask again, where is the mansion? I do not have time for these silly games." If there was anyone that totally lacked tact or the ability to banter, it was Ivy Valentine.

"It's on the north side of the town on a big hill, you really can't miss it. But forget about that, what's say you and me go to the tavern down the street and get us some wine. I'm sure once we've had a few drinks you'll be more interested in visiting my house than that old mans…" said Jacques trying to put his arm around Ivy.

"Don't touch me vermin," replied the angered woman, knocking the man's arm away.

"I don't take no lip from a woman! Learn some respect." replied Jacques, angrily slapping Ivy across the face. Not letting up, the patrolmen prepared to deliver another blow.

Seemingly acting on its own, Ivy's whip blade extended out from its scabbard and pierced the hapless patrolman straight through the stomach, jutting out his back. Moving away, Jacques quickly fell to the floor grasping his wound, and was slowly dying. Pierre pulled out a hand gun, but was stopped when the whip blade cut off his hand. Screaming in pain, the handless officer fell to his knees, staring at his stump in disbelief. The whip blade retracted neatly back in its scabbard. Smirking, Ivy left the scene, and made her way across town where she would investigate the mansion. She had no idea what was waiting for her.


	8. Chasing the legend

Language Translation:

Anyong ha seumnika? – Hello (Literally: Are things peaceful for you?)

---------

Leaving the young girl's room and making his way back to the library; Raphael's sensitive hearing caught the sound of the front door opening. An intruder! Rushing towards the main hall, the young fencer tried not to make too much noise so that he would not immediately be found out. Peering from around the corner, he saw an open door and some mud tracks leading in from outside.

"This is one rather bold intruder, doesn't even have the decency to sneak in…"

Stealthily following the mud tracks, he noticed they lead to the upstairs library. Still remaining hidden, Raphael sneaked along the edge of the walls and quietly made his way up the stairs. The upstairs library was possibly twice as big as the downstairs one, and Raphael had yet to really search through it just yet. Peering into the library by inching slowly away from the wall, Raphael caught sight of a platinum blonde woman leafing through the books and throwing the useless ones to the floor.

"Don't tell me others know about this old man's secret…" thought Raphael panicking.

Looking upwards Raphael saw an antique rapier sitting on a mantle, on display.

"Let's pray it's not a useless antique," he thought, reaching upwards and grabbing the blade. Walking stealthily as not to make a peep, Raphael maneuvered right behind the woman and stuck the tip of his blade lightly in her back. The library was encased in the dim glow of candlelight.

"I'll have you tell me what you are doing here," Raphael said in a rather stately tone. Much to his surprise, a snake like sword exploded out of from underneath the woman's cloak and nearly impaled him, had he not quickly dodged out of the way. The woman turned around, a very cold and emotionless look on her face.

"I'll say it again, what are you doing here and who are you? Or do you not speak French my dear?"

"My name is of little consequence to you cur," said Ivy in perfect French. Her sword reared up behind her as if it had a mind of its own, looking like a coiled snake ready to strike. Throwing back her cloak Ivy grabbed the handle of her sword and prepared to fight, the blade itself retracting back into the shape of a sword. Ivy was clad in her trademark, revealing leather outfit.

"Cold as ice aren't you? Well that doesn't mean I can forget my manners and not be a gentleman. I, my dear mademoiselle, am Raphael Sorel of the Paris Sorel's and renowned fencer," the cocky young swordsman said with a flourish and a bow. Raphael couldn't help but notice Ivy's skintight, revealing outfit that left nothing to the imagination.

"Don't tell me you walk around like that all the time? The commoners must whistle at you every time you go out!" chuckled Raphael. Sneering, Ivy simply pointed her sword forward.

"I don't have time to play these games with you. I want what's in this library. Do not stand in the way of what I need. I have already pledged myself to a path of darkness, and no ones life means anything to me anymore. I'll shred everything to pieces, including you!"

"As I thought, no sense of humor. How droll. Well my dear perhaps I shall lighten the mood. Now then, let us dance," said Raphael grinning arrogantly, readying his rapier.

Ivy made the first move by swinging her sword high, which Raphael easily dodged by moving to the side. The two fighters were then locked in close combat, each expertly swinging their swords, attacking and defending as if locked in a dance of death. Disliking the close quarters fighting, Ivy extended her blade and began to swing her whip-blade around, the blade humming in the air. Raphael backed off a bit, not knowing when Ivy would swing her blade and possibly cut him to pieces. It was very difficult, even for Raphael, to constantly dodge the far reaching Ivy Blade especially since the course and angle of the attacks were always unpredictably varied.

"Sing my sword!" yelled out Ivy, lunging forward and extending her whip-blade straight out viciously.

Raphael barely dodged the attack, getting grazed in the midsection. The whip blade speared through a bookcase, and upon retraction, sent pages and books coverings flying. Bleeding through his white shirt, Raphael grasped his wound and was thoroughly angry and surprised. He began a furious onslaught of rapid sword strikes, putting Ivy on the defensive. With one final stroke using all his might, Raphael knocked her back into the wall, causing her to slam into a bookcase. A statue that had been hanging over the bookcase fell to the ground, smashing into a thousand pieces. There had been something hidden inside it though, which now started to glow. Ivy could feel that whatever had been hidden in the statue resonated with her blade in a strange manner. Reaching over, she had found her prize.

"A shard of Soul Edge, finally!" she thought as she took the warm shard.

Raphael had no idea what was going on, or why the woman he was fighting had a look of happiness. Ivy immediately stood up and began swinging her sword over her head. With his warriors intuition ringing like an alarm that something big was coming his way, Raphael tried to find some suitable cover, and just in time. Ivy swung her sword downward. The whip blade separated into each individual section, each piece ricocheting off the walls and the floor, slicing the library into ribbons. Raphael had to hide helplessly behind a statue, the sword pieces shredding everything into confetti. Ivy immediately ran out of the door and exited the house. Raphael tried to give chase but was too late.

"Damn she got away. And what was it that she was so happy about finding? Damn that old man for keeping secrets, and damn me for not finding it in time…" fumed Raphael, unable to contain his rage.

Returning to the library, he began to pound the wall. Would his search through the mansion have been in vain? Near the broken statue, Raphael noticed what looked to be an envelope. Picking it up and looking at the contents, his face turned from rage to subtle realization.

"So that's what the old codger was hiding! I knew it…I knew it!" yelled out Raphael triumphantly, finding just the piece of information he needed. Looking through the library (what was left of it really) he found a small gray book on the lower shelf. Leafing through it, he found a tale of the "Evil Seed" and the sword of ultimate power.

"Seems this little sidetrack wasn't a waste after all," the cocky swordsman said to himself, completely forgetting about his wounds.

------------------------

_Clear across the world in Korea…_

The sun was just climbing into the sky, lighting up the Yellow sea with its golden rays. Yun Seong had already gotten up before dawn, too excited for the coming day. All of his years of martial arts training, all of the effort and sweat, would finally culminate in his ultimate accomplishment.

"Today he is returning from his journey, I'll finally get to show him what I've got…" thought Yun Seong as he went about his morning training ritual. Ever since he was a young boy, Yun Seong got up every single morning and ran up and down the stairs of the nearby temple, carrying heavy buckets of water and firewood. After that he would immediately eat breakfast and then get to martial arts training with his master Han Myong Seung. All the years of preparation, training, sweat, mortification, and resolve would finally bear fruit.

Today was the day Yun Seong would challenge Hwang Sung Kyung.

The man was a renowned swordsman of the Seung Dojo, a living legend to Korean townsfolk and those in the martial arts circles. Yun Seong grew up with tales of how Hwang challenged the open seas and the dangers of exotic foreign lands to retrieve the Sword of Heroes. Some stories said the man was faster than a tiger, stronger than a bear, and more agile than a monkey. In Yun Seong's mind, the man was more than a legend or a story to tell to pass the time. No, he was an ideal, a goal to strive towards and to one day reach.

Yun Seong was an impatient young man, especially when a prize he valued was dangling right in front of him. After practically inhaling breakfast and putting on his white gi with an orange sash, Yun Sun flew out of the door. Nothing short of a shrine god could have stopped him from arriving at the Seung family dojo first thing in the morning to warm up for his match. Seung Mina was already there with her father enjoying their early morning breakfast.

"Anyong ha seumnika Yun Seong?" said Seong Mina, looking up from her breakfast of beef rib soup and rice, to Yun Seong as he was entering the dojo.

"Good morning," replied the young martial artist, panting and sweating.

"You ran all the way here? I haven't seen you this excited in a long while," replied Han Myong Seung. Han Myong was an aging old man with a long grey beard and a plain wrinkled face. However despite his looks, he was also a fierce fighter and a master of all types of martial arts.

"I couldn't stand to wait at home! How can I be resting when I know he will be here today! His boat could come any second and I want to be one of the first people to greet him!"

"Hwang Sung Kyung you mean?"

"Of course, who else! How could you two be sitting here, calmly eating breakfast, when he will arrive at any second!"

"I didn't know you were such a fan of Hwang, Yun Seong. I know you were always interested whenever I brought up stories about him," said the old master picking up some rice with his chopsticks and eating it.

"I'm not his fan, master, I'm his destined rival. When he comes to pay his respects to you I will challenge him to a match," remarked Yun Seong, turning around and looking towards the mountainous scenery outside of the dojo. Han and Seung Mina simply looked at each other in shock, and then simultaneously replied:

"Destined…rival?"

"When he arrives and comes to this very dojo, that is when I will challenge the great man to a match. Just you wait Hwang…" exclaimed Yun Seong, gripping his fists and smiling in anticipation.

Seung Mina and her father simply stared at each other in amazement, shocked at the entire situation.


	9. The Dragon of the East Sea

"Why are you two staring at me like that?" replied Yun-Seong scratching his crop of bright red hair.

"Well…it's just that we're a little surprised at you describing Hwang as your destined rival. I mean, when did you come to this conclusion?" asked Seong Mina, sipping some of the delectable broth from her bowl.

"It's written in the stars, of course. The great Hwang Sung Kyung, the defender of Choson, the dragon of the East sea, the man whose blade knows no equal, is just now coming back from his great journey! I've been working all this time to live up to a man with his honor and glory. Do you honestly think it is just coincidence I passed the last grade and am now a disciple here at your dojo? No, this was all meant to happen!"

"That's all well and good Yun-Seong, and neither Mi-na nor I would ever steal your thunder, but why challenge him to a match? Don't you think it's a tad hasty on your part? He's come back from strange, foreign lands," responded Han Myong, stroking his beard.

"He can't refuse me. I mean how else is our great rivalry to start off? I will be his young protégé, and through our battle he'll recognize my skill and see me as an up and coming hero of Korea."

"I just don't want your feelings to get hurt is all Yun-Seong. I know Hwang better than you and I just don't think…" pleaded Seong-Mina.

"Oh can it already, I've had enough of your doubts and complaints! I'll show the both of you," angrily interjected Yun-Seong, who then left the dojo disgruntled.

"Such great potential…" remarked Han Myong.

"Such immaturity…" sighed Seong Mi-na, returning to eating her breakfast.

----------------------------

The noon sun rose high into the air overlooking the harbor of the city. Throngs of people had gathered to welcome back many of the sailors who were due to return home. No one was more enthralled than Yun-Seong, who pushed his way through the crowd and towards the front. The ocean twinkled with a sort of ineffable majesty as the white sails of the ships appeared along the horizon. Yun-Seong leaned on the railing, hardly able to contain himself.

"Oh I hope they're all alright…" said one woman to another, both of them weeping for joy.

"Don't worry, our soldiers will come back home. We've got Hwang Sung Kyung to protect us!" replied Yun-Seong, patting the woman's back and grinning.

The ships made their way into the dock and weighed anchor. The plank was lowered down and sailors and soldiers began to make their way onto land. Enthusiastic relatives and family members greeted their own with hugs and tears. It was clear to see on the soldier's faces that they were happy to finally be home after being away for so long. Yun Seong ran over to the flagship of the fleet, the _Yaksuk_, eagerly awaiting Hwang Sung Kyung to get off the ship. The young man's hopes were soon fulfilled when he caught a glimpse of his idol walking off the ship, flanked by several other hardy looking soldiers. With formality and protocol far from his mind, Yun-Seong rushed forward and immediately bowed before his storybook hero.

"Hwang Sung Kyung, I am Yun-Seong, disciple of master Han Myong at the dojo. Pleased to meet you, sir!"

The 'Dragon of the East Sea', as he was often called, was somewhat taken aback by the forward and brash nature of Yun-Seong.

"So you are a disciple at my master's dojo then?" replied Hwang in a very commanding tone of voice.

"Yes!"

"My first order of business here was to visit my master and pay my respects. Would you lead me to the dojo?"

"Of course sir!" Those were the most joyful words the young man had ever heard in his entire life, and he eagerly motioned for Hwang and the others to follow him. Much to Yun-Seong's dismay though, Hwang seemed quite stolid and reserved, hardly talking even to his compatriots. He did give off the aura of an extremely experienced martial artist, and as far as appearances go he was everything Yun-Seong had hoped for. They eventually reached the dojo grounds after walking up the vast staircase leading towards the complex. Many of Han Myong's pupils were hard at work training in the main yard, and the sound of yelling and fighting could be heard.

"Right this way. By the way, Hwang, how long has it been since you've seen master Han Myong?"

"About a year or so young man."

"Oh, that's about the same time you went and looked for the sword of Heroes! Tell me something, when you traveled through China, did you meet any desert marauders?"

"Well, for one thing…Yun-Seong is it? For one thing my travels are not any where near as glamorous as the tales they make up here. The desert was harsh and the people there were far less forgiving."

"But you made it all the way back, and that's the good thing. But you never found the sword of heroes did you?"

"Well for one thing, Yun-Seong, it's probably a pure myth, something to put kids to sleep at night."

"Why can't there be though? A powerful sword like that in the hands of a capable man would save all of Korea! We could all live in peace and prosperity by its power alone."

"You'll find, young man, that in life nothing really ever resolves in such a simple manner," replied Hwang, placing a hand on Yun-Seong's shoulder just before he walked into the main building of the dojo.

Han Myong was examining some of the dojo weaponry on the walls when Hwang entered. Immediately falling to the floor, Hwang kowtowed before his master and long time friend.

"It has been too long master."

"Ah, Hwang Sung Kyung, if my aged eyes do not deceive me. How are you my boy. I heard you had quite a trip, and plus I'm sure Mi-na was a handful."

"Yes it has been a long hard road master. I was lucky to save Mi-na when we were attacked by that murderous lizard creature. Since then my men and I have been patrolling the waters of the border kingdoms on the look out for the Japanese."

"Well things seem to be as they always are in that regard. I'm sure you received a hero's welcome when you returned at port?"

"Yes but I should like to be congratulated once the kingdom has been truly set free," replied Hwang, gazing off to one side.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Hwang," said Han Myong stroking his beard and pacing towards the main grounds of the dojo. "You always were too serious."

"Life is serious, master."

Han Myong simply chuckled to himself as he led his former pupil out into the main grounds of the dojo.

"Everyone, fall in!" yelled out the old man, who could be very loud despite his small stature.

All of the trainees at the dojo immediately stopped their practice and ran in front, assembling into six lines. In unison they sat down and stared forward at Han Myong.

"I'd like everyone to welcome back Hwang Sung Kyung. He's back from a very long and arduous journey. You should all aspire to be like him one day and make the country proud."

Hwang stood next to his master, his expression like stone and the force of his presence like that of a tsunami. Yun-Seong could hardly contain himself and ran up to the head of the group, kowtowing before his master and Hwang.

"I know it is impetuous of me to talk out of turn master, but I can't wait for much longer. I'd like to ask Hwang Sung Kyung if he would hold an exhibition match with me right here, right now at the dojo. Everyone knows of his reputation and skill with the sword, as well as his acts of heroism and bravery. I would like to show him the fruits of my labor in hopes that I can one day aspire to be like him," cried out Yun-Seong, his forehead pressed to the ground. Han Myong listened the entire time, and despite his expressionless exterior, he was moaning on the inside.

The air fell silent around the dojo, as everyone awaited to hear Hwang's reply to the young man's request.

"You arrogant, blind fool…" breathed Hwang in disgust, as he left the dojo grounds seething.

Han Myong sighed deeply, closing his eyes, his wrinkled brow furrowing. Yun-Seong stayed in the kowtow position, his eyes welling up with tears.

------------------

"Did you have to be so hard on him, Hwang?" said Seong Mi-na, leaping down from a tree branch.

"How did you find me here?"

"This is your usual spot when you want to be alone and think isn't it?" replied the young girl. Hwang was sitting on a cliff at the edge of a forest overlooking the city. The lanterns in the city were lighting up as the sky darkened. The stars began to shine one by one, their glow flowing across the waves of the sea.

"Well yes but I usually enjoy quiet contemplation alone…"

"You're evading the question Hwang. Why did you have to be so hard on Yun-Seong back there? He practically idolizes you! You have to understand where he is coming from."

"I left because he was young and an upstart, the way I used to be when I was his age. I don't mind if he sees me as an idol but I do mind the fact that he thinks that by challenging me to a duel he'll become great."

"Don't tell me you're jealous?"

"I have no time for those types of emotions, Mi-na. Here, let me tell you a story. While I was searching for you I crossed barren, desolate countries. I met nomads during my stay in Mongolia and if it were not for them I would have succumbed to the harsh whims of the desert. They were decent folk, and were kind to share with me the little that they had. I didn't speak the language nor was I one of their people but they certainly took me in. Now how was their kindness and good works repaid? They were slaughtered by the clan of a warlord since they did not have enough for tribute to the khanate. Women, children, men, they were all slaughtered like cattle, as if their lives were totally worthless. What that young man may believe was a journey of heroism and bravery, was really a descent into the bowels of the world. If he thinks he can understand all of this simply by dueling me like a drunken buffoon at a bar, then its best if we never see each other again…" Hwang got up and dusted off his pants, and looked up towards the sky.

"There is much that lies beyond the sea, Mi-na. Much that you and I would rather not care to know," said Hwang as he re-entered the forest, heading for his home.

Mi-na was left speechless, simply left to stand there alone. The young woman sat down for a moment, and stared up at the sky.

"That's why we dream Hwang, that's why we dream…"

--------------------------

The next day at the dojo, Seong Mi-na couldn't shake the previous night's conversation out of her head.

"Mi-na, you've hardly touched breakfast…" replied Han Myong, sneakily angling his chopsticks to swipe a piece of Mi-na's fish. She swiftly replied by parrying his chopsticks.

"Waiting until my defenses are down, you silly old man!" snickered Mi-na.

"Hmmph," replied Han Myong, returning to his meal and grumbling.

"I'm just worried about Hwang and Yun-Seong. Hwang is nothing like the man I knew when he brought me back to the dojo. Something has really gotten to him but he wouldn't tell me what. And now I think Yun-Seong may have just been at the wrong place at the wrong time. Did he show up this morning?"

"No I haven't seen him since he left the dojo yesterday. He looked really upset though, and I hope he's not too angry at Hwang."

"It really is unfair though, what would've been wrong with a match between the two of them?"

"Hwang is the type of man that puts a heavy burden on himself. He carries the weight of the world sometimes, but it really isn't his place to do so. If I were you I wouldn't worry too much about Yun-Seong. It'll take him some time to sort everything out in his head, but he'll come around to reality eventually."

"It'd be wonderful to be as optimistic as you…hey…where'd my fish go?" replied Seong Mi-na as Han Myong gulped down the last piece of fish. The two of them looked at each other, and then began to laugh.

---------------------

Mi-na had decided to drop in on Yun-Seong to see how he was doing. After all, from what Han Myong said, he must have been pretty distraught after being turned down by Hwang. Yun-Seong lived in a small house in the hills away from the city. His parents were taken by illness when he was younger, and he'd been living here by himself for awhile. Mi-na knocked on the door twice, but was surprised to find no response. The door gave in to her knock, indicating it was not locked. Suspicious, Mi-na opened the door slowly and looked inside to find the house completely bare.

"What the….where is everything?"

Everything in the house was gone, including Yun-Seong's clothing and keepsakes. Thinking that something bad had happened, Mi-na ran all the way back to the dojo almost not taking a break to catch her breath. When she made it into the main building, she found Han Myong standing in front of an empty weapon case, his hands behind his back.

"Master, Yun-Seong …" said Mi-na panting for air.

"It seems the young man has gone on a trip, and has taken a souvenir with him…" replied Han Myong, pointing to the empty weapon rack.


	10. Sword of False Hope

Xianghua had finally gotten some time to herself on the ship. Talim was off assisting the sailors with the wounded and looking for any more pirate ships that may attack. Rajit was sound asleep in the quarters downstairs, so Xianghua found a stack of crates to sit on and look at the ocean.

"I sure am a long way from home again…" the young woman thought to herself as she watched the waves rise up and down. The word "home" was always a little funny to her, as it never really seemed to point to a specific place.

"Sure I guess the palace could be called home…" she thought to herself. Guarding the palace was the only thing Xianghua ever really knew, but it never really conjured the image of safety and warmth like the word "home" should bring up. Xianghua thought back to just before she started her journey, and remembered that fateful day the Emperor set her off on this quest.

----------------------------

The sweet sound of a mandolin wafted through the air of the gardens surrounding the Imperial palace. Xianghua was resting on a rock, letting her toes splash the surface of the cool pond. She was in her usual nook, hidden away within the garden in a place where no one would find her. The trees overhead softly filtered out the rays of the sun, only allowing small slivers through. A water lily floated past Xianghua's feet, and she marveled at its simple beauty.

"When was the last time I got some time to myself?" she thought as she relished the peace and quiet. The young woman's mind turned to the long trip home from Europe. The battle against Inferno had gone well all things considered, and today it was Xianghua's duty to report to the Emperor about the "Sword of Heroes". An image of the demonic Soul Edge flashed across her psyche, its shrieking howl still fresh in her mind.

"Some sword of heroes. Just goes to show you the Emperor shouldn't put so much stock in fairy tales." Her moment of quiet contemplation was broken by the sound of someone rustling in a bush nearby. Xianghua smiled and got off her rock, slowly creeping behind some tall shoots of grass. The perpetrator would invariably believe she was still unwittingly sitting on the rock, and she would catch him as soon as he came out. A young boy emerged from behind the bush and yelled out "gotcha!" only to be met with silence.

"Looking for me?" replied Xianghua as she rested both hands on the boys shoulders. Startled, the child turned around and yelped once he caught sight of Xianghua grinning sardonically.

"Peng, did you really think you could catch me off guard?"

"I thought I had you, _jie jie_!"

Xianghua laughed and rested a hand on the young boys shoulder. Peng was a bright young lad of twelve, his face always cheery and his temperament never down.

"I knew you'd be around her somewhere. I mean whenever you have an important meeting with the Emperor you come here." Peng adjusted his cap and sat down on the rock.

"Well I didn't know you were keeping track, otherwise I would've picked a different spot."

"I just think you enjoy being moody," replied Peng with an incredulous smile. Xianghua crossed her arms and gave him a look. It was sometimes hard to believe the boy was only twelve.

"Well I guess it's time I get going. The Emperor is going to want to see me soon. By the way, aren't you supposed to be with your tutor?"

"Oh, Lao Gong? He nodded off in the library while I was reading another one of his boring books. Old people like to sleep a lot I guess."

"Hey don't talk about your elders like that! Although it is true, Lao Gong almost fell asleep during a meeting with the Emperor." The two shared a good chuckle for a few moments.

"Well I'm off. You get back to your studies, and don't let me catch you slacking off like this again."

"Don't worry, I won't let you catch me next time." Peng grinned big and wide and scampered off.

Xianghua hurried through the garden and into the grand Imperial Palace as it was soon time to present her findings to the Emperor. Her heart began to pick up speed as she got closer to the palace.

"What am I going to tell him? 'Sorry there's no great sword that will save our country, but I did find a demon bent on destruction.' He's really going to believe me then…"

Xianghua was part of a special team of warriors the Emperor had collected for his personal protection and the defense of the Middle Kingdom. The team was a fantastic group of martial arts experts. There was Fei Hua, a renowned spear master, Ai Xia the kung fu specialist, and Lin Feng, a swordsman. No one seemed to mind the fact a woman was part of the guard save for Lin Feng, who always tried to undermine her at every turn. He always tried to make her seem unfit for the position in the Emperors eyes, and even engineered the situation so that Xianghua would have to go to Europe if she wanted to remain high in the emperor's regard.

"He may have thought that he had won when I volunteered to go to Europe last time, but I went of my own accord and not to save face in front of the Emperor. I'm glad I went though, who knows what would've happened without my mother's sword to protect me from the evil of that sword. Oh well, I'm sure the Emperor will be able to appreciate what has happened and give up on this wild goose hunt."

She made her way into the throne room, and waited by the door for the other guards to appear. The elderly court steward, Lao Lin, nodded to her. Xianghua waited impatiently for the other members of her unit to arrive. The first one to appear was Fei Hua. He was an imposing man with a long queue that stretched all the way down his back. He stood at least a head and a half above Xianghua, a large spear fastened to his back. Despite his appearance he was always gentle and Xianghua often joked he was like an oversized stuffed animal. Next came Ai Xia, the Kung Fu artist. While still a young man, Ai was nicknamed the Wild Stallion, as he his speed was unrivaled throughout the kingdom. The last member of the entourage, Lin Feng, entered the court in his usual pompous member. Xianghua snickered to herself, thinking that Lin resembled an ape thumping his chest.

"Well everyone is here. There Emperor will be here momentarily," stated Lao Lin as he moved next to the throne. Within moments the Emperor appeared flanked by several of his court ladies. Everyone got to the floor and kowtowed with their foreheads touching the ground, the sound of a gong ringing throughout the air.

"The Emperor will now receive his personal guards report of the quest for the Sword of Heroes," boomed Lao Lin, who had a surprisingly loud and stately voice for an elderly man. The Emperor clasped his hands and eyed Xianghua as she moved forward ahead of her comrades, her face still low to the ground.

"Why is the great sword of Heroes not within my grasp, Xianghua Chai?" The emperor's voice made the young woman's skin crawl. The tone was anything but regal, and the low hissing sound reminded her of some type of reptile.

"I must report that there is no such thing as the Sword of Heroes."

"No such thing? But I heard from couriers that a powerful sword had appeared in the far off lands of Europe! Have you kept it for yourself!" The Emperor slammed his hand on the throne, causing everyone to jump except Xianghua.

"You were not lied to Emperor. The Azure Knight known as Nightmare was indeed the owner of a very powerful but very evil sword."

"Then why is it not here! Was my faith mistakenly entrusted to you!"

"The Sword of Heroes does not exist Emperor. The sword I found was a twisted, evil blade that devoured men's souls. It had taken possession of a knight named Siegfried and slaughtered thousands of innocent people across Europe."

"If want you say is true then…"

"Yes, two friends and I fought the spirit of the sword and shattered it! It's evil could not be allowed to walk the earth."

The Emperor contemplated for a moment, his brows furrowed in deep thought.

"There is a sword of Heroes my liege!" exclaimed Lin Feng. A hush went over the court, and Xianghua felt tension run up and down her spine.

"How can you say this? Xianghua has just reported…"

"We have reports of a powerful sword in Xinjiang province, and the Governor there holds onto its power. He plans to use it to conquer all of China once he has mastered it. This information comes from a very reliable source my liege."

"Then what of the sword in Europe?"

"Mayhaps you have overworked young Xianghua, and instead she took a pleasure trip?"

Xianghua seethed, gritting her teeth in frustration. "How far will his jealousy take him…"

"I do not enjoy veiled threats Lin."

"And none was said, my liege. I just wished to inform you that the sword was right in our own backyard and we didn't even notice. If you will it I and an armed force will head to Xinjiang and take the sword by force."

"But Emperor," interjected Xianghua.

"Silence. I will have to confirm this new information for myself, as I do not want to take such decisive action and have been too hasty. We will adjourn this session for now. Be ready when I call you, my guards, for I will need your services soon enough." The Emperor stood and left the room, all of his lady's in waiting in file.

Xianghua and the others stood up and left the palace. The young swordswoman could feel Lin Feng looking at her from his periphery vision, silently mocking her.

"I wonder how long he'd been planning this. I doubt there is any such sword in Xinjiang. Who is he working for…" It was at that moment she silently decided that she was the only one capable of doing anything about the situation.

----------------

It was twilight and the sun was slowly setting into the mountain range for its nightly slumber. Xianghua was gathering her things in a small sack for her _very _long trip to Xinjiang. As she was finishing up with the last of her things, Peng stuck his head in the door.

"Going somewhere, _jie jie_?"

"Nowhere that you need to be tagging along, Peng, so don't even think about asking."

"I wasn't, you look so serious so it probably isn't a fun place at all. I just wanted to see you before you left is all," retorted Peng as he crossed his arms, trying to maintain a prideful look. Xianghua giggled to herself, in wonderment that anyone so small could have so much pride.

"When are you leaving?"

"Tonight. I can't waste any time as I have to beat the Emperors men to Xinjiang before anyone innocent gets hurt."

"Crack a few of their heads for me!" Xianghua bent down and hugged the young boy.

"Be a good boy."

"You know I won't" he smiled mischievously.

Xianghua gathered everything and saddled up her horse Nightstar. She saw Peng run down the street back to the palace chambers. Wu Ma, the palace maid and apothecary appeared from down the alley and walked up to Xianghua.

"A lovely night for a ride isn't it?" the old woman remarked as she looked upward at the twinkling sky.

"Well I don't think I'll get much of a chance to enjoy the view."

"Oh you never know you might. Be sure to keep safe, Peng will never forgive you if you don't return in one piece." Xianghua always marveled at just how knowledgeable and reticent Wu Ma was.

"That boy needs you. After his mother left us he thinks of you as his big sister. Blood or not you're family and he relies on you. I want you to remember that," the old woman said as she clasped Xianghua's hands and looked into her eyes.

"I know, and I'm not going to let anyone down. I have to get going Wu Ma."

"Good luck! I'll make sure Peng keeps at his books while you're gone. Someone has to reign him in."

Xianghua waved and rode out of the castle and into the night…

---------

Xianghua came to from her daydreaming when Talim gently nudged her on the arm.

"You need to get some rest Xianghua, it's getting dark and we're getting near the end of our voyage," sweetly cooed Talim as she gently pulled Xianghua back into reality.

"Oh I didn't even notice night had fallen. Alright, I'll get some rest. I'll be happy when this is all over with."

Xianghua turned around, looking at the rising and falling waves of the open ocean.


	11. An Old Friend

It had been a long voyage all the way to the Gwadar, a port city in the south of Pakistan, and Xianghua was very eager to get off the ship and stretch her legs. As the ship slowly sailed into port, Talim stood at the railing of the ship looking off into the distance. The city was something to behold, and reminded her of images she had seen of Arab cities at the wind shrine. Talim couldn't help but notice that many of the buildings along the coast lay in ruins, as if some great battle had recently taken place. Rajit appeared from the depths of the ship flanked by Xianghua and joined Talim in her survey of the city.

"The Portuguese have been here little one. I heard there was a lot of fighting. Luckily we missed all that or we might have been mixed up in it," said Rajit looking kindly on the two women.

Talim bowed her head, her eyes downcast. She knew that the teachings of the Litany of the Wind told her to hate no one on earth, but she couldn't stand the word "Portuguese" or "Spanish". Those foreigners ruined the tranquility of her village ever since they set foot upon the Philippines. Noble farmers were reduced to drunkenness, forgetting their responsibilities to their families and instead whiling away their time in a bar. There was also the religion that the Westerners brought with them, some foreign sounding name, and pulled many away from the ancient religion of the Wind. Life shattered once they stepped foot on her sacred islands.

"Chin up, Talim. We've got nothing to worry about. Besides the sooner we get off the ship the faster we can get what we want accomplished," said Xianghua smiling, gently nudging Talim back into the real world.

"Oh, yes. I've got everything ready so I'm set when you are Xianghua."

The ship finally docked into port, and the sailors began unloading their cargo. The docks had been damaged in the fight against the Portuguese, but business seemed to carry on as it usually did. Rajit stood at near the ship and clasped Xianghua's hands lovingly.

"Ladies, it has been a pleasure to be your guide thus far, and I hope you are successful in your endeavors. I am a little sad I have nothing to really give you except my best wishes," warmly said Rajit.

"Oh Rajit don't worry about us. Talim and I can take care of ourselves just fine," replied Xianghua, bending down to hug the middle aged monk.

The two women left Rajit and headed into the city, waving back at him. Gwadar was dizzying to one who was not used to the hustle and bustle of a port city.

"I've never seen anything quite like it…" marveled Xianghua as she surveyed the city.

"Quite different from the cities in China, huh?"

"Indeed. Living in China you sometimes forget that there is a world beyond the borders."

"Don't your people call your country the 'Middle Kingdom'?"

"Yes that's what the characters mean written out. I'm certainly not the one that named it, but whoever did certainly put us at the center of the world."

"Well it's good to expand your horizons," sweetly replied Talim, looking up at her companion.

Xianghua couldn't get over just how mature and composed Talim was. She seemed far older than her years, almost as if she had a world of experience in only fifteen years.

"Where should we start looking Xianghua? My shard hasn't reacted to anything since we got off the ship. That means there can't be another one around here. I feel like we're searching for needles in a haystack as big as the world."

"I don't think I have the answer for you, but I'm sure we'll find some on our way to Europe. I was heading to Germany."

"Germany? That's vaguely familiar somehow. I know so very little about Europe, aside what I learn from the spirits of the wind shrine."

"Well I traveled there a long time ago with two friends and we fought the wielder of Soul Edge in an ancient castle. I really don't have any other leads so I decided to go back there and investigate. It's the best I could think of and…"

"Xianghua," interjected Talim.

"What?"

"Have you been getting the feeling someone is watching us?"

"No not really…do you have any idea who it might be?"

"No clue really, just a hunch I have. The flow of the wind has been off since we got off the boat. We'll just have to be careful. Let's try to figure out how we're going to get to Europe. We should also find an inn so we can rest up."

"Sure thing Talim."

As the two women were making their way through the streets of Gwadar, a strange beggar man collided into Talim. The little priestess was knocked into Xianghua and almost fell over.

"Oh, a thousand pardons ladies, a thousand pardons. I am so clumsy you know, and a little guy like me gets knocked around in crowds as big as this. You two ladies want to see a little magic trick?" questioned the hunchback little Indian man, one of his eyes covered by a tussled mass of black hair. Xianghua had never seen anyone with such dark skin, nor had ever smelled anyone with such a foul odor.

"Perhaps…some other time," said Xianghua, plugging her nose.

"I know you'll enjoy it! All you have to do is watch! I, Salaar, can make any object mystically disappear. I have been given this power by the gods, for what purpose I do not know, but just pay close attention to this flower."

Salaar procured a white carnation, and with a wave of his hand, made it disappear in a flash of multicolored confetti.

"A nice little trick…" replied Xianghua, eager to get the smelly little dwarf as far away from her as possible.

"If it was so nice then why don't you give me a few gold coins, as a sign of your awe and amazement at my powers…" said Salaar, reaching out his grubby little hand for money. Xianghua quickly pulled out some money and dropped it in his hand.

"May the gods bless you! May they bless you for all eternity! Thank you, thank you!" said Salaar, bowing up and down frantically as he slowly backed away from the women and seemed to melt back into the crowd from whence he came.

"Ech, I don't think I've ever been so grossed out before in my life…"

"Or…so tricked! He stole one of the shards Xianghua! I don't feel it in my pocket! We have to go after him before it's too late!" exclaimed Talim who immediately jetted into the crowd, moving anyone out the way.

"Wait up Talim I'm coming with you!"

Pushing through the throng of people and looking in every direction she could, Xianghua couldn't catch a glimpse of Salaar. It wasn't surprising though; the man was at least a foot and a half shorter than she was. Talim definitely did not want the shard to get into the wrong hands, but try as she might the little midget seemed to have practically disappeared.

"Alun!" cried out Talim, calling out for her bird. The wind picked up, and out of nowhere her trusty pet bird Alun swooped down and landed on her shoulder.

"Please Alun, find Salaar, he's stolen my shard of the evil Soul Edge. Fly now!"

The bird flapped its wings and lifted into the air, guided by the mystical power of the wind. The bird flew through several alleyways and eventually found a perch overlooking a dark alley. Talim knelt and prayed, the images of what Alun saw floating into her mind. Xianghua simply stood next to her, trying to see if she could catch a glimpse of Salaar. Alun cocked its head downwards to hear Salaar. The little man was soon flanked by a very imposing figure in a white cloak and some sort of weapon covered in cloth hanging on his back.

"I've done what you asked, I've got the shard from them. Now for that payment we talked about…"

The cloaked figure said nothing as he took the glowing black shard and reached behind him for his weapon.

"Wait…what are you…wait!" shrieked Salaar trying to get away.

The cloaked man took out a wicked looking silver scythe that glittered when the rays of the sun hit it. In one fell swoop the man bisected Salaar, the blood somehow being absorbed into the blade of the scythe. The man sheathed his scythe and looked up, straight into Alun's eyes.

Talim felt a chill come over her body, her stomach growing sick. She fell over shivering, Xianghua rushing to her side.

"What's wrong Talim!"

"I've never felt anything so malicious before in my life. That man…the aura from him was overpowering…"

"We have to get the shard back from him…" exclaimed Xianghua, helping her friend up.

The two women immediately looked at each other and nodded, Talim leading the way to where Alun was. The cloaked man stood there, as if he was patiently waiting for them. The scythe was even bigger in person, a menacing looking weapon even while covered. Talim couldn't make out the cloaked man's face, as it was shrouded in darkness. There was something not natural about him. Talim could experience a dark life force practically exploding out of the man's being.

"Give us back the shard!" exclaimed Talim, procuring her tonfa.

"We won't ask you again!" shouted Xianghua, reaching for her blade.

"Don't trifle in matters you know nothing about. Your ignorance is as deep as the ocean and as dangerous as a scorpion's sting. Give me the shard. If not, allow me to show you the error of your ways…" the figure said in a deep and deadly voice, drawing his scythe once more.

The two women gave each other a quick look and then rushed at the man, their weapons drawn and ready for battle. As they quickly got into striking distance, the cloaked figure swung his scythe with preternatural speed, knocking both women backwards from the force of the strike. Talim was quick to get back up, performed a cartwheel, and almost hit the man with one of her tonfas had he not fluidly dodged her. He quickly delivered a kick to Talim's midsection, sending her flying away into a pile of trash. Quick to act, Xianghua let loose with a flurry of quick attacks, her blade being expertly parried by the man's scythe. Their weapons locked, but the man's strength was beyond anything Xianghua could handle, and she was knocked backwards onto her back, with the scythe soon to follow. The cloaked man however, did not deal the finishing blow, but instead the blade hovered precious millimeters from Xianghua's face.

"No, you cannot die, not just yet. You are an important actor in this play. However your friend here is not…" said the man, as he made his way over to Talim who had just righted herself from getting kicked in the midsection.

"Talim, no!" exclaimed Xianghua as the cloaked man was about to slice the hapless girl. At that moment a blinding streak of blue light knocked the cloak man back into the brick wall behind him, leaving his imprint in the wall.

"I'll have no more of you hitting these women. Now begone you agent of evil!" exclaimed a voice that Xianghua knew all too well. The cloak man simply cackled, and like a phantom, flew upwards into the sky. Xianghua quickly turned around, and she was overjoyed at what she saw. It was Kilik, clad in his crimson red training gear and wielding the famed Kali-Yuga. He had neck length brownish black hair, and his eyes betrayed his eastern heritage.

"Kilik…I don't…how…how are you here!" happily exclaimed Xianghua as she rushed to her long time friend and gave him a hug.

"I've missed you Xianghua," said Kilik embracing her. Talim walked over and quizzically looked over Kilik.

Pushing Xianghua away a little, Kilik stooped down a little and covered his right fist with his left hand as a sign of greeting.

"I am Kilik."

"I am Talim of the wind shrine of Nayong Anito ng Hangin."

"Wow that's a mouthful, where is that?"

"I come from the Phillipines."

"Talim has been accompanying me on my journey so far Kilik. We had just gotten here from India and we're on our way to figuring out how to get to Europe when one of our shards of Soul Edge was stolen."

"I noticed. I've been keeping an eye on you since you got here. I've been able to track some of your progress with one of the temple treasures, the Dvapara Yuga mirror. However I didn't expect him to be here."

"Who was that guy anyways?" asked Talim, looking back towards the alley.

"I have no idea but I could feel his evil _qi_ ever since I got to this city. He'll be back, I'm sure."

"Most definitely, but what I don't understand…"

"Is what Xianghua?"

"He could've killed me back there easily. He said that I was an important actor in his play. What could that mean?"

"Well let's just be glad you're still with us in one piece. We're going to have to be careful from here on out, especially once we get to Europe," said Kilik putting his staff on his back.

"You're going to join us?" asked Talim, putting her hands on her hips. "You don't look so tough," she said, walking over to Kilik and punching him playfully in the stomach.

"Cut that out!" laughed Kilik.

Xianghua looked at his smiling face, and memories of the battle with Nightmare came flooding back to her mind. His face as he sank into the black abyss before her battle with Inferno haunted Xianghua in her sleep.

"I thought I'd never see you again," replied Xianghua rather gravely.

"I'll have plenty of time to explain everything on our journey. As it stands we need to get out of here," replied Kilik, resting a supporting hand on Xianghua's shoulder.

"Right, lets get moving!" said Talim nodding towards her traveling companions.

Xianghua couldn't hold back the mix of joy and sadness that had been in her for so long, and felt content to just cry on Kilik's shoulder. He held her there, knowing all to well of all the tribulations of their last journey.


	12. Spirits of the Past part 1

The road through Persia was going to be a very long one, and Talim couldn't help but lose a bit of her composure over the boredom she was experiencing. The monotonous expanses of farmland nestled in between the low olive green hills of the Persian countryside offered little in the way of excitement. Xianghua did not seem to mind in the slightest, as she was happy that Kilik had finally returned to her life.

"I thought I had lost him forever…" Xianghua remained somewhat stolid and silent as the trio walked down the path. It had been at least a year since she saw him, ever since their battle against Inferno. She remembered how she felt after the battle: alone. After Inferno was vanquished the Chaos Realm had been dissolved, and she woke up outside of Ostrheinsburg castle without either Kilik or Maxi.

"Now that he's back there is no way I am going to go through what I did during that time…" she thought to herself.

"So Kilik where have you been? Xianghua tells me that she hasn't seen you for a really long time." questioned Talim, placing her hands on her hip and giving Kilik a curious glance.

"You shouldn't bother him, maybe he doesn't want to talk about it" said Xianghua clinging to her friends arm.

Kilik looked down at Xianghua and was a little surprised by her response. It had been a long time since they had traveled together, and Kilik had spent the lost year in almost perfect isolation.

"She's always been worried about me. Well she probably doesn't want to lose me like after the battle against Inferno. I don't blame her, those were hard times," thought Kilik as he looked out at the expanse of land.

"Don't worry about it! I'm sure you're both curious as to what happened. Believe me I still don't understand all that has transpired…" replied Kilik smiling warmly, trying to liven up the situation. Xianghua looked into Kilik's eyes, sometimes the only way for her to really know how he was feeling behind the smiling mask he oftentimes wore.

"Well why don't you start from the beginning then, I'm sure its pretty interesting. Who knows maybe Xianghua and I will see something you don't," sweetly replied Talim, eager to have something interesting to listen to.

"Well alright… I guess the best place to start would be back when we fought Inferno…"

----------

Maxi, Kilik, and Xianghua had finally arrived to their destination, Ostrheinsburg castle. The fortress and the area surrounding it had the foul taint of soul edge oozing out of every orifice. The lake surrounding the castle had once been clear and blue, but now was stifled in bog and muck, a horrific smell coming out of it. The band of heroes gave each other a knowing glance, and started to race across the drawbridge into the castle. Kilik could feel his bo staff, the Kali Yuga, react to the presence of Soul Edge.

"There's no mistaking it, we've got it this time. Let's hurry, I should be able to utilize the power of the staff to destroy Soul Edge" stated Kilik as he tried to steel himself for whatever lied ahead.

"At least I hope so…" Kilik actually didn't know whether or not his training and the sacred treasure from his temple could neutralize the raw malevolent power of the Soul Edge, but he had to at least try.

They finally entered the fortress into the main area and took a quick look around. The castle was old and decrepit, covered in moss and overgrown vines, crumbled bits of stone lying in dust on the floor. Sensing danger, Maxi quickly reached for his nunchuks.

"We're not alone…" he breathed, warily watching the shadowlike creatures that were emerging from the nooks and crannies of the castle. Each creature looked like a mass of blackness in the shape of a person, their eyes bright and yellow. Xianghua and Kilik were quick to follow suit, readying their weapons. Xianghua's sword began to flicker, and then emanated a light blue glow.

"My sword's never done this before…" she remarked in surprise, examining the blade closely.

"Yes….playthings…." yelled out a guttural voice from the inner recesses of the castle keep.

"It's him…" Maxi knew the voice all too well. It was the sound of the unholy monster that had slain his crew and so many other innocent people across the world. Maxi gritted his teeth as he saw Astaroth emerge from the castle keep, his giant axe in tow. Behind him was a rather odd looking creature, a lizard the height of a man wielding a strange colored shield and sword. It snarled fiercly and the frills behind its neck perked up. Astaroth simply grinned with a mouth full of rotten yellow teeth and motioned for his minions to attack. The shadow creatures seemed to draw their weapons out of their own bodies and converged on Kilik and his friends.

"Listen, you two take care of these … whatever you call them. I've got the big guy over there," said Maxi looking towards his companions.

"But Maxi you can't …." replied Xianghua, grabbing his arm for dear life.

"We've got to race to get Soul Edge, and we need to get into that keep. You two get going and I'll fight Astaroth. Now don't argue we don't have any time."

"But!"

"I said no arguments!" snapped Maxi. Walking boldly towards the Astaroth, Maxi readied his nunchuks and got into his fighting stance. Before Xianghua could say anything in protest the shadow creatures had converged on her and Kilik and battle ensued.

"Alright you monster, you're going to pay for every one of my men you murdered!" stated Maxi as he pointed his nunchuks threateningly at Astaroth. He looked down at his lizard companion, who immediately returned to the depths of the castle keep.

"You'll be nothing more than a stain on the ground…" breathed the behemoth as he rushed headlong at Maxi.

"Maxi!" cried Xianghua as she watched her friend get tackled by the abomination and knocked into a pile of straw several meters away.

"We have to concentrate on the task at hand!" cried out Kilik as he knocked over two shadow creatures. Xianghua simply nodded and continued the fight. She swung her sword with a large arc, striking five of the creatures. They broke apart into nothingness but were immediately replaced by even more creatures.

"There's no end to this, we kill one and ten more take its place…" said Xianghua exasperated, the fatigue of trying to fight wearing her down.

Kilik knew that he couldn't fight forever as well, and decided to try to use his training to change the flow of the battle to his side. Holding the Kali-Yuga horizontal to his body and closing his eyes, Kilik began to recite a sutra.

"Namo rases Namo hatet Namo suset Namo rases Namo hatet…." Kilik's body began to glow a faint green, his spirit power manifesting itself physically in an aura around his body. The energy field around him began to pulsate and spin, spreading out several meters in a circle around him. The positive energy of the Kali Yuga negated the energy of the shadow creatures, breaking them apart into nothingness and sending them back into the void. Xianghua shielded her eyes as the Kali Yuga's power flooded the courtyard in a brilliant flash of light. Kilik ended the spell and took a few moments to catch his breath.

"That takes care of them, wow Kilik," said Xianghua purveying the scene for anymore creatures.

"No time to rest, we need to get into the castle keep. The Kali Yuga is directing me there. Hurry Xianghua," said Kilik as he broke into a sprint towards the keep. Xianghua immediately followed suit. As Maxi was keeping Astaroth busy, the two were able to easily enter the keep. The keep proved to be a dizzyingly long staircase upwards.

"I can feel it, the miasma from the sword is concentrated right above us…We have to get to the top of the tower!" Kilik tried his best to control his emotions, but being so close to the Soul Edge filled his mind with terror. Xianghua could feel the swords presence too, and felt a chill come over her. The two simply nodded and began to race up the stairs. The scenery was monotonous, and the stairs seemed to climb higher and higher into infinity. Finally the two came to a large wooden door, a bright red light pouring out from the crevices. Kilik laid his hand on the door to open it, but then fell to the floor clutching his chest.

"Kilik! What's wrong!" screamed Xianghua as she bent down to attend to him.

A strange pulsation wracked Kilik's body, causing him to become physically ill. "I'm coming for you Kilik…I'll have you soon enough," whispered a strange voice that echoed through the young mans mind. Kilik summoned all his willpower to regain control over his body, and after a few moments he regained composure.

"It's the evil inside me, it is somehow being fueled by Soul Edge's presence. It's trying to take over my mind…" Sweat was pouring down from Kilik's face, racing down towards the floor in huge droplets.

"Kilik! Are you sure you want to do this?" screamed Xianghua.

"I'm…it's alright…we can't hesitate any longer. I'll deal with it. It'll get better once we destroy the Soul Edge…" Kilik didn't want to worry her with the truth, especially at a time like this.

"Once we destroy Soul Edge it won't matter, I'll be able to vanquish the darkness inside me." At the very least he could hang onto the hope of that, however small it was.

Xianghua definitely wasn't convinced despite Kilik's posturing.

"Now is not the time to act tough…but you do have a point. Once we destroy Soul Edge it won't matter," she thought. "Let's go"

Xianghua helped her friend up and then opened the door. The room was filled with a red haze not unlike the color of lava, and at the center stood a large orb raised on a dais. The azure knight, Nightmare, stood next to the orb flanked by Lizardman. Nightmare's dark purple armor seemed to draw in the light surrounding it, casting it into an endless void. A single red eye jutted out from the darkness of his helmet. Xianghua took one look at the huge sword Nightmare wielded, and could feel the malicious presence of Soul Edge. The eye on the blade seemed to stare straight at her, like a predator eyeing its prey.

"The summoning of souls is almost complete. Sadly I don't need your souls to complete the ritual, but you will join us in good time," boomed Nightmare, his voice echoing loudly through the entire castle.

The Azure knight clutched the orb with one hand, and a brilliant red light exploded out from it. Kilik and Xianghua had to shield their eyes from the powerful rays of light that burst forth from the orb.

"Yes, these souls are perfect sacrifices! Look how beautiful they are! Everything is perfect! I'VE WON!" exclaimed Nightmare as he laughed gutturally.

Xianghua looked over at the orb and saw flames dance within. A face of fire and magma seemed to stare back at her, its yellow eyes peering into her soul. Kilik could feel a hellish beating pounding in the back of his mind, and it took every once of willpower he had to keep the evil within him in check.

"The gate is opened." Nightmare released the orb and turned around. At that moment, the back wall set on fire, and a portal of pure flame blinked into existence. Flames and sparks flew out of the portal, and little bits of lava fell to the floor and sizzled.

"Why don't you play with them for a bit. Try to keep them alive though, so we can have fun devouring their flesh when I get back," chuckled Nightmare as he nodded to Lizardman and entered the portal.

"Wait!" yelled Kilik as he rushed forward, drawing his staff. Nightmare disappeared into the portal, his form being engulfed in hellish flames. Lizard man worked his way in front of the portal, licking the blood from the blade of his sword.

"We'll have to get through him to get to Nightmare…" remarked Xianghua

"Fine by me. Ready Xianghua?"

"Let's go!"

The two young warriors rushed headlong towards Lizarman, determined to reach Nightmare and destroy Soul Edge.


End file.
